#7 Purdue will try to get back to its winning ways after a disappointing two point loss at Ann Arbor on Tuesday. The loss left Michigan alone on top of the Big Ten and Purdue a game behind, but with both Michigan and Michigan State heading out on the road for tough games this weekend, Purdue can put itself back on top of the Big Ten if it handles business at home against the second best offense in the Big Ten.

Wisconsin is something of the forgotten team in the Big Ten race. While Michigan, Michigan State, and Purdue stayed stacked at the top of the conference, Wisconsin existed just a loss or two further away for most the season. Now it sits at just four losses, as all three of the top teams in the conference stare down tough final stretches to their seasons.

Wisconsin isn't without its difficulties - it has to go to Mackey Arena and the Breslin Center still, but at four losses, it's just two off the leading Michigan Wolverines. Besides games against Purdue, Illinois, and Michigan State, Wisconsin has a chance to run the rest of its schedule with relative ease.

Which means an upset or two, and protecting home court against Illinois, and Wisconsin might find itself right in the heart of the Big Ten race.

With a top-10 offense in the country and the 35th best defense, Wisconsin is more real than it's gotten credit for. It has absolutely no bad losses. Its only loss at home came again Michigan, and every road loss has been to a team 26th or better in the country according to Kenpom.

The only thing missing on Wisconsin's resume is a key road win. It'll get a chance to put a up a big one in West Lafayette on Saturday.

The freshman was pushed into some late game, crunch time minutes with the foul trouble of Caleb Furst and Trey Kaufman-Renn at Michigan, and the game appeared to have a physical affect on him as well. Burgess was seen in a walking boot this week though he appeared ready to go and practice on Friday. Worth monitoring for a big man that dealt with a similar lower leg injury to Daniel Jacobsen in high school.

It's not a secret why Wisconsin has been so good this season according to Matt Painter.

"Obviously one of the best offenses int he country," Matt Painter said of Wisconsin's 10th most efficient offense in the country according to Kenpom. "To go along with a really good defense. That's how you have a good team. When you. have an efficient offense and a good defense."

It's hard to argue Painter's point. Wisconsin's defense is also in the top-40 in the country in efficiency through Kenpom.

That success has been helped by Wisconsin being a rare team that hasn't had to deal with an overturned roster.

"Lot of experience," Painter added. "Not just in years, but together."

Which makes Purdue and Wisconsin an even more familiar and enticing matchup. The two teams have shared just two coaches in the last few decades while also keeping experienced players around in their respective systems.

Matt Painter was happy with Purdue's offense in terms of process in the final three and a half minutes of the first half when Trey Kaufman-Renn went to the bench with his second foul. Unfortunately, despite getting good looks, Purdue couldn't get any of them to convert. Purdue went scoreless in those final three plus minutes and allowed Michigan to close a Purdue lead with a 9-0 run.

It hasn't always been the case. Purdue has struggled on offense at times with Kaufman-Renn on the bench, but he was insistent immediately after the game and again on Friday, his guys got looks he's comfortable with.

"If you get mad there at them for taking good shots and missing them, man, they're not gonna know which way is up," Painter told us before practice Friday. "You've got to be positive with them. You've gotta tell them that's good stuff right there."

Most notably, Purdue is hoping Camden Heide and Myles Colvin's results can start to match its process. Heide is shooting 4 of 27 from three in Big Ten play after going 11-20 throughout the Big Ten conference last season. Colvin is just 11 of 43 from three in Big Ten play after making 41% of his threes last season.