More: Purdue 2016-17 coverage

Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2017 • 7 p.m. ET | Mackey Arena (West Lafayette) | TV: ESPN2 | Radio: Purdue Radio Network

In-game updates: Twitter.com/@GoldandBlackcom

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About this game: With a win over its arch-rival on senior night, Purdue can clinch a share of its first Big Ten regular season championship since 2010, thanks in part to Wisconsin's loss at Michigan State Sunday and freefall in general. ... Indiana is 1-6 on the road in the Big Ten, but has lost some very competitive games away from Assembly Hall. ... since losing in OT to Minnesota in Mackey Arena, Purdue has won its last six home games by an average of 19.3 points. ... Purdue is looking for its second regular season sweep of Indiana in three seasons, after it won 69-64 in Bloomington on Feb. 9. ... In the first meeting between these two teams, Vincent Edwards led Purdue with 26 points while Thomas Bryant led IU with 23. ... Purdue won that game despite 6-of-21 three-point shooting and no rebounding advantage. ... With the season nearly complete, IU ranks 13th in the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing 76.6 points in Big Ten, but held Purdue under 70 in the first meeting. IU is also worst in the Big Ten in turnover margin, giving the ball up about four more times per game than it takes it away. ... Purdue isn't a whole lot better, though it's crept up to 12th in the league in that category. ... IU guards James Blackmon Jr. and Robert Johnson were 1-of-7 and 1-of-6, respectively, from three-point range against Purdue in Bloomington.

Roster | Schedule | Statistics

Projected Starters

C - Caleb Swanigan (6-9, 250, So.)

The standard Swanigan has set this season has been ridiculous. That being said, the past few games have missed the dominance Purdue has grown accustomed to getting from its player-of-the-year candidate. Don't bet against a significant uptick to end the season, though. Isaac Haas was uneven at Michigan, struggling in the first half, but improving in the second. Both bigs were outshined, though, by their Wolverine counterpart, Moe Wagner. They will not want history to repeat itself against IU, for which Thomas Bryant scored 21 points in the first meeting between these teams. Rebounding and turnovers matter big-time in this one, and these guys wield heavy hands in both categories.

F - Vincent Edwards (6-8, 225, Jr.)

Last time these two teams met, Edwards scored 26 points and carried Purdue the way he carried the Boilermakers at Minnesota last season. It was his finest performance of the season, one he'll be hard-pressed to replicate this time around but will hope to at least play at a comparable level.

G - Ryan Cline (6-6, 195, So.)

Cline made his first career start at Michigan as Purdue hopes to draw some additional focus out of freshman Carsen Edwards, for whom things might have come a little too easy this season. Maybe Purdue switches its lineup back for this game, you never know, but Purdue trusts Cline at both ends and needs to be getting off to better starts offensively. This isn't really that big an indictment of Edwards, just a retroactive part of a process that he might have bypassed earlier. The rookie responded with 18 off the bench at Michigan and shot Purdue back into the game in the second half.

G- P.J. Thompson (5-10, 188, Jr.)

Purdue's guards haven't looked quite the same lately as opponents seem to be pressuring them more. Does IU have the capacity or want-to to really turn the screws on Purdue's guards and make them go past them? Don't know, but Indiana did a solid job defensively in the first meeting. Spike Albrecht plays his last game in Mackey Arena against the Hoosiers.

G - Dakota Mathias (6-4, 200, Jr.)

Same as Thompson. Purdue's guards haven't been an impactful or commanding as they'd been most of the season. After a bodysnatchers-type five-turnover game at Penn State, Mathias scored just four points on 2-of-6 shooting at Michigan. Purdue will want to see the player it's seen most of the season for the rest of the season, but against Indiana, it's just as much about defense for him as offense, because he'll guard James Blackmon Jr.

Roster | Schedule | Statistics

Projected Starters

Guard - 2 Josh Newkirk (6-1, 195, Jr.)

Newkirk's quickness can cause problems for Purdue, but he can also make threes, as he showed in these teams' first meeting. He can be turnover-prone, though.

Guard - 4 Robert Johnson (6-3, 195, Jr.)

Johnson's not shot the ball well down the stretch of the Big Ten season, but Purdue won't take him lightly. He will take - and make - difficult shots at times. The Boilermakers need to keep IU's shooters out of transition opportunities.

Guard -1 James Blackmon Jr. (6-4, 200, Jr.)

Blackmon is rounding back into form after being hurt midseason and returning against Purdue. He's scored a total of 53 points the past three games and won the Penn State with an assist for a nearly buzzer-beating and-one dunk by Thomas Bryant.

Center -31 Thomas Bryant (6-10, 255, So.)

IU's standout big man scored 23 against Purdue last time, but hasn't scored more than 12 or made more than four field goals in the four games since. He can shoot threes. He made 3-of-4 against Purdue last time. You need not be reminded how vulnerable Purdue can be against big men who can shoot from distance.

Forward - 20 De'Ron Davis (6-10, 240, Fr.)

Indiana has gone bigger in its starting lineup lately, putting the freshman in for Juwan Morgan. The added size might help Indiana match Purdue's, but might also create an even better matchup for Vincent Edwards on the perimeter.

Key Player -13 Juwan Morgan (6-8, 230, So.)

The former starter should log big minutes off the bench.

Key Player - 21 Freddie McSwain Jr. (6-6, 215, Jr.)

The energetic and athletic forward will be needed in the frontcourt in all likelihood.

Key Player - 11 Devonte Green (6-3, 186, Fr.)

The freshman played just five minutes against Purdue last time, but has played a dozen or more in the each of the past four games, including a start at Minnesota.

Purdue's been great at home. Indiana's been not-so-good on the road. Purdue has everything to play for. Indiana is probably playing out the string. No one is taking the Hoosiers lightly and shouldn't — they're very talented — and the Boilermakers haven't played particularly well of late, but a number of indicators suggest this would qualify as a shocker if IU can spoil its rival's Big Ten championship and senior night party.

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