Purdue at Wisconsin | Game Preview | Battle for the top of the Big Ten

Tied in the loss column for the Big Ten race after Wisconsin lost a 19 point lead to Nebraska on Thursday night, Purdue will travel to Wisconsin for one of the most anticipated Big Ten matchups of the year. This is the first of two games for the two teams in the regular season.

After Purdue lost two Big Ten games early on the road in conference play, Wisconsin has sat on top the Big Ten all year despite Purdue being the heavy betting favorites to win the conference.

This is a battle of two of the best offenses in the country - a stark contrast to what it usually means when Purdue and Wisconsin get together.

Zach Edey continues his reign as the best player in college basketball. Braden Smith is coming off a 16 assist game, and Lance Jones just dropped 26 points. Purdue's offense is firing off all cylinders.

Wisconsin will be extra motivated as it returns home after its second straight horror trip to Nebraska where it blew a big lead late the same way it had the previous season. Wisconsin has lost 2 of its last five games, giving up one to Penn State before the Nebraska game. After having a two game lead, and then one, Purdue now has the half game lead in the conference.

For Purdue, the loss to Nebraska for Wisconsin didn't change anything. They knew that the path to another Big Ten championship was gonna run through Madison.

"Yes, we watched it," Loyer said about the Wisconsin-Nebraska game. "Doesn't matter though. We gotta, either way, go take care of business."

With Wisconsin's buffer now gone, and a return trip to Mackey later in the season looming, this has become a must win game for the Badgers.

Matt Painter's Boilers finally knocked off the Wildcats. In a similar fashion to the first game of the season between Purdue and Northwestern, the teams went into overtime to settle things. This time, Purdue came out on top. A big reason why Purdue needed 45 minutes to handle the Wildcats? Ty Berry and Boo Buie combined for 13 three-pointers.

Berry and Buie are elite shot makers, but Purdue helped them by losing them early, and letting them get their head's up. While Painter was encouraged with the offensive growth from that game in December to now, Purdue has to sharpen up on the other end.

"Signs of offensive growth," Painter said about if his team showed growth in the win over Northwestern. "Hey man, you start a game and allow them to get their heads up... We've got too many guys that run into screens. That don't get into the basketball in ball screen. A lot of times those little things, against somebody that isn't as maybe prolific as Ty Berry and Boo Buie doesn't burn you and you think you're okay. But against those guys, against snipers, all they need is a little bit of daylight. Especially after they get their head up. We helped them... We have to do a better job defensively."

Wisconsin, a top-ten team coming off just its second Big Ten loss of the season has one of the best offenses in the country. It has five scorers starting, and more coming off the bench. AJ Storr has offered a new element to Wisconsin with a tall, ball-dominant wing with good athleticism who is starting to make his three-point shots.

Around him he has bigs that can shoot, a lot of experience, and a clever offense designed by head coach Greg Gard. Purdue's guards in general will be tested.

An answer for Painter has been and will probably continue to be senior Ethan Morton coming off the bench who played twenty minutes against Northwestern without scoring, grabbing a rebound, or getting an assist. But he had two steals and was pivotal on the defensive end.

As Painter is prone to do, he was very clear on appreciating Morton's play despite the stat line.

"Then I thought Ethan did a really good job of guarding their guys and not letting them get in the paint," Painter said on Friday. "So you kinda look at his box score and see a lot of zeroes - you don't understand basketball if you don't watch the game and say 'man, he did a pretty good job on those guys.' And if you're not letting them get in the paint they're not playing post up basketball - where's the fouls? You're not getting into fouls. And the way they were shooting the basketball, why should you? Just keep shooting threes, right?... At the end of the day you've gotta keep the ball out of the paint and I thought Ethan did a good job there."

Purdue will need Morton against Wisconsin's Storr, who is one of the bigger perimeter offensive threats in the conference. Painter will also need the team around Morton to step up, stick to communication and schemes, and not go off script.

Wisconsin's dual big lineup gives teams a lot of trouble by posting either or both of them up. Purdue likes to double the post, but both Wisconsin's bigs are comfortable and play at their own pace even against doubles. The players around the doubles will have to be sharp and stay ahead of rotation to not give Wisconsin clean looks. Purdue will hope to prevent the Badgers from getting into rhythm early. Purdue won't have Mackey Arena magic behind them to come back from a lead.

Which leads us into the Big Ten media topic of the day. Purdue's free throw disparity. The talk of the town was Purdue's edge on free throws over Northwestern. Purdue shot 46 free throws to Northwestern's 8. It was enough to get Chris Collins willing to have himself kicked out of the game with just 1.7 seconds remaining in overtime. Collins strongly went after a ref, was held back, said he was fine, and finally went towards the tunnel, shaking Painter's hand on the way and dapping up Zach Edey. When he made his way to the tunnel he raised his hands to the Mackey crowd, urging their cheering him off on.

So how will the official call this game with Wisconsin at home and Zach Edey coming to visit - will the whistle be swayed one way or the other? It's not exactly been the Big Ten's calling card to consistently call big games. It's an unfortunate narrative, but only youthful optimism could have you believing it won't still be talked about after Wisconsin's bigs try to deal with Zach Edey.

At the other end, Purdue's Braden Smith, Lance Jones, and Fletcher Loyer are all playing some of their best ball of the season. Smith, spurred on by resentment for being left off the Bob Cousy finalist list for best point guard, has the keys to an offense that's dangerous at every level now.

Fletcher Loyer's 15 points against Northwestern speak to just how much space and room there is to work around Zach Edey and Braden Smith. Defenses can't take a breath and they can't solely put their focus on Purdue's big stars.

Loyer, and more recently, Lance Jones, have just been too good around Smith and Edey and it's led to Purdue's surge to the top of Kenpom's offensive efficiency ratings. This is the best offense Matt Painter has ever had at Purdue.

Smith and Jones both provide a lot of difficulties for a Wisconsin team that doesn't have a bunch of burners. Smith and Jones should both be able to put Wisconsin's bigs into dangerous spots, and get into the teeth of the defense.

Purdue's offense is a far cry from where it was at this point last season when its confidence seemed to have been sapped from it after struggling in the back half of conference play. This offense is the best in the country, and no one seems to have an answer.

Will that play continue on the road against the Badgers?