Northwestern comes into Sunday's game with a 10-4 and 1-2 record, but those four losses are by a combined 12 points including coming off an 84-80 loss to Penn State that saw Northwestern get some bad luck late in the game to keep them out of overtime against the Nittany Lions.


The close games have gone Northwestern's way just once, a 70-66 overtime win against Illinois, and its Northwestern's only win against a top-75 team.


For Purdue, its 10-4 record and 2-1 start to Big Ten play has featured big time match-ups, a couple really nice wins, and a few losses that has given doubts to Purdue's ability to win its third straight Big Ten regular season title.

The one thing that has remained of Purdue's dominance this season, Purdue doesn't lose in Mackey Arena. After going undefeated at home last season, Purdue has protected home court against this season. Purdue hasn't lost at home since a 79-74 loss to Indiana on February 4th of 2023.


It hasn't seemed to matter much about record or rankings when these two teams get together the last couple seasons. Despite all the success for Matt Painter and Purdue, Northwestern has knocked off Purdue two of the last three games.


Northwestern knocked off Purdue at home to start Big Ten play last year, and then lost a 105-96 thrill at Mackey Arena. Both of those games went into overtime.


This season, both programs have had to move on from cornerstone players in Boo Bouie and Zach Edey. The two teams will play just the once this season.

Northwestern's offense looks a lot different this season. Boo Bouie is gone, and the control of the offense has moved from the small guard to a 6-6 do everything point guard, Brooks Barnhizer, who is averaging 20.1 points a game, 9.5 rebounds, and 4.4 assists. Barnhizer hasn't been Chris Collin's only guy to step up to take over his offense this year.

Nick Martinelli is averaging 20.1 points a game on 45% three-point shooting, but Martinelli's damage is really done in the mid-range. Martinelli has a unique blend of size, skill, and floater touch. His offense is quirky, sometimes ugly, but this season, constantly effective. Next to Barnhizer, Northwestern's offense has relied more on bully ball by its guards and getting into the paint than pick and roll with Bouie from year's past.


Someone that hasn't flourished this season is the perimeter oriented Ty Berry who has dropped from 11.6 points a game to 7.8 while going from an above 40% three-point shooter to just a 38% clip this season. Berry is still Northwestern's primary perimeter threat but his play has been up and down this season.


He's coming off one of his worst games of the season against Penn State where he was just 1 of 6 from three, scored 3 points, and played just 14 minutes while committing four fouls.


But Ty Berry, he likes playing Purdue. Berry had four games last year where he scored 20 points or more. Two of those games happened in his two games against Purdue.


Against Purdue at Purdue, he went for 25 points, knocking down 6 of his 9 three-point attempts. It was a similar story at home when Northwestern knocked off a #1 Purdue team when he dropped 21 points and made 3 of his 5 three-point attempts.


With the size of Martinelli and Barnhizer, Purdue will almost definitely have to hide Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer on Ty Berry for portions of the game. Berry is an elite off ball shooter, running through screens and shooting on the move or from very long range.


Purdue has defended the three-pointer well this season, but perimeter looks have been there when teams have gotten into the paint against Purdue. That could mean defensive lapses elsewhere could lead to Berry getting a lot of good looks in Mackey Arena again.

Who will win the battle of the paint when Northwestern has the ball?


If Northwestern secures another upset against Purdue, it will probably be because Purdue wasn't able to shut down the paint. Purdue has struggled all season with a lack of rim protection and perimeter defenders that haven't kept guards out of the paint with dribble penetration.


That probelm is exasperated by Northwestern who has two guards, Martinelli and Barnhizer, with the size, scoring, and play making to give Purdue problems inside and out.



"Sometimes when you go against guys that can really really score, you can load up on them," Matt Painter said ahead of Sunday's game. "If you load up on those guys they'll make you pay with their ability to pass."



Martinelli and Barnhizer don't just make players for others and themselves, they don't make plays for the other team. Northwestern has been one of the best teams in the country at protecting the ball. Northwestern turns the ball over on just 14% of its possessions, the 14th best mark in the country.

But Northwestern's guards don't just protect the ball, they make the most of having it.


"They're play starters," Painter said. "And they're play finishers."

Caleb Furst and C.J. Cox moved into the starting lineup against Minnesota for the first time this season. Painter has no plans to change that against Northwestern after the 20 point win on the road.


Furst has unquestionably been one of Purdue's best players the last few games, shoring up some defensive concerns at the rim and on the glass. That said, Northwestern is a team that plays big guards that are comfortable playing with their back to the basket.


Cox has been terrific for Painter as a true freshman. It's likely he'll draw the Barnhizer assignment early. Cox, whose hands on defensive make him a fierce perimeter defender, could be an interesting defender against the 6-6 Barnhizer. He will give up size to the experienced guard for Northwestern who played more as a five last year and now has excelled as its lead guard.

"He's been a guard his whole life," Painter said, familiar with the Lafayette Jefferson High School product. "He might have kinda play the four for them but he's been a guard... He can guard 1 through 5 but he can play like a one through five, too."


Cox will likely get the first shot at slowing Barnhizer down, but Painter has both his big wing defenders at his disposal off the bench. Don't be surprised if Myles Colvin and Camden Heide are called upon early and often to try and match up with Northwestern's two-headed monster of Martinelli and Barnhizer.