How rivalry vs Indiana factors into Purdue basketball core's legacy, builds March Madness resume
· Yahoo Sports
WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue men’s basketball can make two statements Friday, and only one has anything to do with Indiana.
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Yes, Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn enter Friday's game having lost four of seven games to the Hoosiers. Barring luck of the draw in the Big Ten tournament, it could the final rivalry game for those veteran seniors' — all in-state products.
Unless that hypothetical extra meeting comes in the Big Ten tournament championship game, the stakes won't be the same. That senior trio will defend its home court against IU for the final time Friday. The outcome could impact both teams’ NCAA tournament fortunes more than one in the conference tournament.
Friday's outcome is far from the only factor when considering that senior group’s legacy. It absolutely belongs in the conversation, though. The Big Ten protected this rivalry for a reason. That eight-game run may not define a team, but it unquestionably defines what a team delivered in those high-profile games.
So Purdue can make a statement of sorts if it avenges last month’s loss at Assembly Hall. It can also declare the home loss to Michigan which ended its Big Ten championship hopes Tuesday did not end this team’s pursuit of greatness. The 223rd meeting in this rivalry can redirect the Boilers toward their ultimate goals.
“You say, ‘What can you do now?’ We can get better – that's what the hell we can do,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said.
“Let’s have these five games and let’s try to get better in each one of these games to give us the best seed that we can get into the Big Ten tournament. And then do the same thing in the Big Ten tournament for the ultimate test of the NCAA tournament.”
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Smith, a Westfield native wants to win every game, rivalry implications or not.
He pushed back, though, on whether these two games per season — or the accumulation of them over four years — define a player’s tenure.
“It doesn’t factor in at all,” Smith said.
“I don’t think we had a good four-year stretch vs. IU at all. I don’t. Give credit to them. They’ve played good basketball and they beat us. I don’t think that has anything to do with our legacy here.”
Painter went 3-5 as a Purdue player vs. IU. All five losses came against top-five teams. That's another reason not to overly emphasize rivalry games when judging legacies. Players have no say in their opponent's quality in any given time span.
Painter said the rivalry matters to players and coaches. It simply matters more to fans. Safe to assume many of them disagree with Smith's perspective. They have to face friends, co-workers, siblings and spouses the next morning, work day or in text threads for the next year.
Purdue has not taken a losing record against IU in any four-year stretch since 2012-15. Those teams went 3-4, losing to teams ranked No. 1, 3 and 18.
For the last time IU beat the Boilers five times in four years, you go all the way back to a 1-6 record from 2005-08.
The current team does not want to join that company. More to the point, it does not want to replicate the Jan. 27 performance in Bloomington which put them in this position.
That 72-67 loss was the team's third straight. However, it was the first in that streak, following losses to UCLA and Illinois, where Painter openly questioned his team's edge. So did Smith, on his "Running Point" podcast the following week.
Purdue fell into a 14-point hole with 10 minutes to play and couldn’t complete a frantic comeback attempt. It left itself vulnerable with poor defensive communication and all-around effort.
For those reasons, the rivalry ramifications become a side note. Friday's game holds other significance. Running the table in this five-game regular-season ending stretch could further boost Purdue's case for a high NCAA tournament seed.
Indiana went into Thursday No. 32 in the NCAA’s Net ranking, on the cusp of counting as a Quad 1 home opponent. Michigan State, a top 10 team throughout much of the season, visits Mackey Arena on Feb. 26. A road trip to Ohio State offers another Quad 1 opportunity, while games against Northwestern and Wisconsin barely miss that standard.
The Boilermakers have enough opportunities there, especially head-to-head with the Spartans, to enhance their argument for an NCAA tournament 2 seed. They are also playing for better seeding in the Big Ten tournament. A top four spot means a double bye and a bit more rest at this crucial transition into the postseason.
More important than any of that, though, is the opportunity to reclaim any momentum lost in the Michigan loss. Purdue can trend up again as March Madness approaches. It no longer controls its destiny relative to that Big Ten championship goal. It only controls what it brings to the floor each night.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Purdue vs Indiana basketball preview: How rivalry impacts core's legacy