Purdue has found itself atop the Big Ten standings and has a chance to extend their lead with a win over a desperate Minnesota team.
The Big Ten has been a war between Michigan and Michigan State for most of the season, but Purdue has quietly been lurking in the shadows. After the Spartans lost in Bloomington over the weekend, Purdue is now in the spotlight as the sole leaders of the nation’s deepest conference.
Purdue has been efficient during its race to the top of the conference, winning 13 of their past 14 games, including five in a row. The Boilermakers were ruthless in an 86-51 takedown of Ohio State on Saturday, hammering a Buckeyes team that is trying to secure an at-large bid to the dance.
Junior guard Carsen Edwards was hot in that game, scoring 25 points on 9-16 shooting, including a 4-8 clip from beyond the arc. If Edwards, who leads Purdue in scoring with 23.5 ppg, can get going again Purdue will be tough to beat in this game.
Slowing down Edwards will be the top priority for Minnesota, which has been inconsistent in Big Ten play. The Golden Gophers bounced back from a bad loss at Rutgers by beating Northwestern 62-50 over the weekend.
Junior Amir Coffey exploded for 32 points for Minnesota in that one and added 12 rebounds for good measure. With two games left against ranked teams and an 8-10 Big Ten record, picking up two wins could be the difference between Minnesota making the NCAA Tournament or waiting for a trip to the NIT.
How to watch Purdue vs. Minnesota
- Date: Tuesday, March 5
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- Location: Minneapolis, MN
- Venue: Williams Arena
- TV: Big Ten Network
- Live Stream: BTN2Go
This is the second matchup of the season between the two classic Big Ten rivals. Purdue picked up a 73-63 win over Minnesota back on Feb. 3.