INDIANAPOLIS — Purdue meets Michigan State In the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament after the Boilermakers beat Penn State Friday night, shortly after the Spartans beat Wisconsin.

Purdue was the only top-four seed to make it to Friday.

Date: Saturday, March 12, 2022

Time: 3:30 p.m. ET

TV: CBS

Radio: Purdue Radio Network (96.5 WAZY locally)

Purdue won its first Big Ten Tournament game since 2018 Friday night and will now look to play for the title for the first time since that same season, when the Boilermakers fell to Michigan In Madison Square Garden.

STARTERS

C — 15 Zach Edey (7-4, 295, So.)

14.7 PPG • 66.7% FG • 7.6 REB • 1.3 BLK

Put any sort of recording device around Matt Painter and bring up Zach Edey's name and Purdue's coach will stump for his player in no uncertain terms, as he's felt all year that the second-team All-Big Ten center has been unjustly officiated. Edey's play might be the key to a run in Indianapolis, so keep a close eye on how those whistles are doled out.

Michigan State's going to go one on one in the post and essentially let Edey get his. Purdue needs him to be extremely efficient on those opportunities after he missed a couple easy ones at the rim against Penn State.

F — 0 Mason Gillis (6-6, 230, So.)

6.6 PPG • 4.6 REB • 51.7% FG • 44.7% 3-PT • 82.8% FT

As much value as Gillis has provided all across the board this season, his shooting from the 4 has been such a key element to Purdue's nation-best offensive efficiency. But this is also offensive rebounding and loose-ball season and Gillis matters big time in both columns.

G — 55 Sasha Stefanovic (6-5, 205, Sr.)

11.4 PPG • 40.3% 3-PT • 3.4 AST

As Stefanovic has gone, so often Purdue has gone. His efficiency from three-point range might be an element that determines outcomes for the Boilermakers from here on out.

Michigan State's going to be intent to give Stefanovic nothing, as Penn State was. He didn't make a shot against the Nittany Lions.

G — 2 Eric Hunter (6-4, 175, Sr.)

6.1 PPG • 2.0 AST • 48.6% FG • 44.1% 3-PT

The end of the season served as Hunter's re-emergence as a defensive weapon, but he also blew up offensively — 17 points — in the regular season finale against Indiana, capping a regular season in which he shot the ball really well.

Hunter made huge shots against Penn State.

G —23 Jaden Ivey (6-4, 195, So.)

17.2 PPG • 45.9% FG • 37% 3-PT • 4.7 RPG • 3.0 AST

This is the time of year when the cream rises to the top, but also comes under the microscope. The All-American's influence over Purdue heading into these postseason events is obviously considerable, but with defenses sure to load up to stop him, his decision-making is the name of the game.

Ivey got back on track against Penn State with an excellent game after he'd struggled a bit late in the regular season.

ROTATION

C — 50 Trevion Williams (6-10, 255, Sr.)

11.6 PPG • 54.7% FG • 7.3 REB • 3.0 AST

The Big Ten's Sixth Man of the Year is not your typical backup. He's one of this team's stars, but also a player Purdue needs to set positive tones from consistency and defensive attentiveness perspectives, on top of taking care of the basketball.

Same for Williams as with Edey. It's going to be one on one all day, with MSU taking away cutters and threes.

G —11 Isaiah Thompson (6-1, 160, Jr.)

4.6 PPG • 42.7% 3-PT

As Hunter stepped up and Big Ten defenses clamped down on Thompson following his outstanding non-conference season, the junior's role has shrunk some. Doesn't mean that people are going to forget about him and leave him open.

G — 25 Ethan Morton (6-6, 215, So.)

2.4 PPG • 1.5 AST • 47.3% FG • 42.9% 3-PT

Morton's been solid all season long, playing a variety of roles. Even though Purdue's rotation may contract some for the postseason, he's going to continue to be a really important player.

F — 3 Caleb Furst (6-10, 230, Fr.)

4.1 PPG • 3.3 RPG • 57.1% FG • 39.1% 3-PT

Furst's first taste of postseason college basketball will come in a limited role, as Purdue needs Mason Gillis on the floor as much as possible and could use Morton in reserve should matchups dictate that. But experience Is going to matter next season for Furst, and here's guessing he takes a significant leap this off-season.

G — 5 Brandon Newman (6-5, 200, So.)

5.0 PPG • 32.5% 3-PT • 85% FT

The story of the Penn State game, Newman gave Purdue 12 points and distinct energy off the bench against the Lions, playing his first notable minutes since Jan. 10.

No guarantees that game represents a permanent change in his status, but it sure was nice.

Freshmen Trey Kaufman-Renn and Brian Waddell will redshirt this season. Waddell will miss most of the season after tearing his ACL and Kaufman-Renn is now sidelined up to six weeks after undergoing foot surgery.

Schedule | Roster | Stats

• Michigan State closed the regular season losing five of seven, but one of them was that ugly-duckling of a win over Purdue at the Breslin Center.

• The Spartans lead the Big Ten in three-point shooting percentage, but are also one of the league's most turnover-riddled teams, averaging 13 per game during the conference season.

STARTERS

F - 44 Gabe Brown (6-8, 215, Sr.)

11.5 PPG • 3.8 REB • 37% 3-PT

Michigan State's leading scorer and lone All-Big Ten honoree, Brown plateaued after a red-hot start to the season but is still really dangerous from long range.

F - 10 Joey Hauser (6-9, 230, Sr.)

7.0 PPG • 5.3 RPG • 40.7% 3-PT

Hauser made big shots against Purdue in the first meeting and even bigger shots against Wisconsin on Friday.

C - 30 Marcus Bingham Jr. (7-0 230, Sr.)

8.9 PPG • 6.0 RPG • 54.5% FG • 43.8% 3-PT

Bingham was exceptional against Wisconsin, the difference in the game. He finished with 19 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks.

G - 5 Max Christie (6-6, 190, Fr.)

9.3 PPG • 3.4 REB • 30.6% 3-PT

One of the Big Ten's better freshmen, the tall, long and skilled wing is a future pro who can shoot from all levels.

G - 2 Tyson Walker (6-0, 175, Jr.)

8.3PPG • 4.4 AST • 52.5% 3-PT

Walker beat Purdue with a buzzer-beater at the Breslin Center, but also did Wisconsin in on Friday night with a couple of big shots in ball-screen offense. He seems to be hot.

KEY RESERVES

G - 11 A.J. Hoggard (6-4, 210, So.)

6.5 PPG • 4.8 AST

Hoggard's most important role for the Spartans will be to defend Jaden Ivey. He did a good job in East Lansing.

F - 25 Malik Hall (6-8, 225, Jr.)

9.6 PPG • 47 REB • 48.3% 3-PT

Michigan State's frontcourt can really stretch the floor and Hall's a big part of it. He can create offense for himself, too.

F - 34 Julius Marble (6-9, 245, Jr.)

6.5 PPG • 3.5 RPG • 61.4% FG

One of the keys to the game for Michigan State, Marble will go one on one with Purdue's bigs in the paint and really fight them.

G - 3 Jaden Akins (6-4, 180, Fr.)

3.5 PPG • 2.4 RPG

Stay dialed in to GoldandBlack.com during the game for our pre-game First Thoughts analysis. During the game, follow along with our game thread and follow @brianneubert on Twitter for additional insight.

Following the game, we'll have post-game press conference video, game coverage, analysis, our Wrap Video and Final Thoughts, plus a Gold and Black Radio podcast within a few hours of the end of the game.

Stay tuned.

Michigan State has scratched out a couple of good wins here in Indy, but they closed the regular season on a downturn and have a pretty low ceiling as a team relative to past Spartan units. Purdue should have won that game in East Lansing, that game being the new Example A of Its periodic turnover problems.

Purdue's big men are going to have to fight, and threes are going to be hard to come by, but the Boilermakers should know exactly what they're in for this afternoon.

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