LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — What Kentucky has been to Louisville, Purdue has been to the Indiana University basketball program.
The Boilermakers have twisted an in-state rivalry into a powerful statement of dominance over the Hoosiers.
They have won close games and blowouts. They have won scoring 86 points and won scoring only 48.
They have won at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette and at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall in Bloomington.
And, if the Boilermakers win Thursday night at Indiana, they will stretch their control over the Hoosiers to eight consecutive games for the first time since 1935.
Louisville ended a recent patch misery against John Calipari and Kentucky in December.
Matt Painter has won five straight against Archie Miller, seven straight against Miller and Tom Crean and 10 of 11 since 2014.
That isn’t a rivalry. That’s a lecture.
Is this the season Indiana finally stops getting punked by Purdue?
“I really think last year really meant a lot to me and my teammates,” said Trayce Jackson-Davis, who grew up south of Indianapolis.
“But this year, I think it’s even more. Coach has talked about how we’ve got to change the culture. That’s a big emphasis.”
The computer formulas project this game will be tight, likely decided by a possession or two. Both teams are 8-5 overall, 3-3 in the league, wedged into a four-way tie for fifth place in the Big Ten.
Miller said the availability of guard Armaan Franklin would be undecided until game time. Franklin suffered a severe ankle sprain against Maryland Jan. 4.
Parker Stewart, a transfer from Tennessee-Martin, just started practicing with the Hoosiers. It’s uncertain when or even if he will play this season.
“From this point forward, we really don’t have a ton of breaks (in the schedule) as you look forward,” Miller said.
Ken Pomeroy’s computer formula forecasts Indiana winning, 66-63. Bart Torvik’s formula also likes the Hoosiers, 65-61.
The Boilermakers have won their one-possession games in the Big Ten, taking down Maryland by three and Michigan State by one. The Hoosiers failed to finish, twice, in a double-overtime defeat at Wisconsin last week and also wobbled at home against Northwestern.
“We’ve let a few slip away from us — Northwestern, Wisconsin,” Jackson-Davis said. “With those two games, we’d be 5-1 in conference right now.
“It’s really just about executing down the stretch and finishing these games. I think we’ve been playing really well. We’ve been playing good enough to win games.
“But coach said that you’ve got to play good just to be in the game. You’ve got to be great to win them. That’s where we’re struggling, closing them out.”
Seven of the 12 scholarship players on the IU roster played high school basketball in state. Ditto for Purdue. Painter has six former Indiana high school players on his roster.
“All of our guys, especially the new guys coming in, Trey (Galloway), Anthony (Leal), Khristian (Lander), all of them they don’t know what it’s like to lose to them,” Jackson-Davis said.
“They don’t want to continue that tradition at all.”
The game played at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall last season was historic. Purdue rolled into Bloomington and won on the day Indiana welcomed Hall of Fame coach Bob Knight back into the arena for the first time since he was fired 20 years earlier.
Purdue won 74-62 — and backed it up with its seventh straight win in West Lafayette less than three weeks later.
In three-plus seasons at Indiana, there are two Big Ten programs Miller has yet to defeat — Purdue (0-5) and Michigan (0-4).
Miller has winning records against Michigan State (3-2), Iowa (3-2) and four other conference schools.
But his teams have gone 6-24 against Purdue, Michigan, Wisconsin (1-4), Ohio State (1-5), Rutgers (2-3) and Maryland (2-3).
Changing the narrative against Purdue is essential to competing in the Big Ten. The rivals are booked to play a second game March 6, the final Saturday of the regular season.
“You have to be ready to roll,” Miller said. “This is one where your energy level, your concentration, through the ups and the downs, whether you’re home or on the road, is going to feel somewhat the same once the ball gets tipped up.”
“Only way to do (change the narrative) is beat them,” Jackson-Davis said. “They’ve had our number the past few years. But we’ve got to change the culture and change history.”
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