Purdue Basketball - On the Road to Redemption

Purdue turned a lot of heads last year on its way to winning the Big Ten by three games.

This year Purdue will have a top-ranking next to its name and a target on its back, but for a team that was ranked #1 for seven weeks last season, there's a lot of unfinished business for a roster that remains mostly the same.

Purdue lost 4 of 6 during the late stretch of the Big Ten last year and then lost in the first round of the NCAA after going undefeated into Big Ten play. This year, the Big Ten will test them early and often on the road.

3 of Purdue's 5 conference losses were on the road last year.

These three games will be Purdue's toughest tests on the road next year.

Purdue will get just a day to welcome in the new year before taking a trip to Maryland, the site of Purdue's most lopsided loss last season. Kevin Willard's first season at Maryland was nothing short of a miracle at times, turning an ensemble of transfers from all over the place into a team with bullies for guards and a whole bunch of physicality that made it to the round of 32 in the NCAA Tournament.

While last season's squad required transfers, this next season of Terrapin basketball will be bolstered by one of the best recruiting classes in the Big Ten with the addition of three Top100 recruits according to Rivals.

Deshawn Harris-Smith headlines the 2023 class which adds athleticism, play making, and skill in the back court and on the wing. Jahnathan Lamothe is the 91st ranked commit in the nation, a 6'4" shooting guard, and Jamie Kaiser Jr. is the 64th best ranked prospect out of Bradenton, Florida and a 6'6" guard that gets at it on both ends of the floor.

Jahmir Young will be back after an at times contentious off season that saw the senior guard consider transferring and going pro before deciding to use his COVID year of eligibility, providing the Terrapins with stability in the back court and one of the best on ball guards in the conference.

Maryland's size, especially on the perimeter, was almost enough to knock Purdue off in Mackey Arena when Purdue narrowly pulled off a 58-55 slogfest. When Purdue went into Maryland, Purdue got rocked in the second half after taking a lead into the first half. Maryland out rebounded Purdue by 12, held Purdue to 2 of 13 shooting from three, and was relentless in the paint against Edey and company.

Purdue will play two early Big Ten games in December before finishing its non-conference schedule and go on Holiday break. It'll come back for one final non-conference game against Eastern Kentucky before the road trip to Maryland. Purdue won the Big Ten by three games last season, but it will have games circled on the calendar to prove itself a more complete team than last years.

This should be a good one.

After half a decade of dominance, Purdue was swept by IU last year, including a 79-71 loss in Mackey Arena. It was part of an end of season skid that saw Purdue lose 4 of 6 games in conference play.

But this IU team won't look the same as it has over the last four years with the graduation of Trayce Jackson-Davis. The TJD/Edey big man metaphor will be replaced with a transfer big from Oregon for IU, and some promising freshman including 5-star Mackenzi Mgbako.

Not everything has changed for Coach Mike Woodson, as Xavier Johnson was awarded another year of eligibility and will take back full lead guard duties after Jalen Hood-Schifino turned one year in Bloomington into a first round selection in the NBA. Purdue won't miss the true freshman who put up 35 points against Purdue in Mackey Arena.

While Purdue will come in with all the expectations, a young IU team will look to make a statement against the in-state rival. Even at home, IU will have everything to gain while Purdue will try to re-insert themselves as the dominant basketball program in the state of Indiana.

It's Purdue heading to Bloomington as a favorite to win the National Title with the Hoosiers having a chance to play spoiler. It doesn't get much better than that in January.

Rutgers is one of college basketball's most curious basketball programs. From the heaps of irrelevancy, Steve Pikiell has turned the Scarlet Knights into a continuously over achieving, scrappy, and tough team.

The future shines even brighter for Rutgers as its 2024 recruit class looks like one of the best in the nation, highlighted by five-star Airious Bailey.

But Matt Painter and Purdue aren't worried about the future. It's the Rutgers teams of the past that have been a problem. While Purdue has had unprecedented success in its basketball program the last few seasons, it's continuously ran up against a program that has its number. Rutgers gave Purdue its first loss of the season last year, 65-64 in the teams only regular season contest.

It took 24 games for Purdue to lose its second game, but something about that loss against a defensive oriented Scarlet Knights team seemed to knock Purdue's offense off its tracks.

Things won't get any easier for Purdue this year as they have to play Rutgers twice, which means going to Jersey Mike's Arena where it hasn't won since the 2018 season.

Rutgers lost a lot last year. There's no more Cam Spencer, Paul Mulcahy, or Caleb McConnell, but Pikiell will now get to prove that he's built a program at Rutgers. It also helps that big man, Clifford Omoruyi, did decide to return to Rutgers after testing the NBA waters in the off season.

Add in one of the best atmospheres in the Big Ten, and this late January game will be one to watch.