Three Thoughts is a new feature GoldandBlack.com will run every Monday morning in-season.

Purdue's game at Illinois today might be the biggest land mine on the schedule. The Boilermakers will be an underdog in Vegas' eyes and this will be the first time this season, I think, where KenPom's number-crunching favors the opponent.

I'm picking Purdue to win, but this one should be a steel-cage-match sort of affair against a team that was good enough to win a Big Ten title last season and may be again this season.

For the Boilermakers, this is an opportunity, an opportunity to reset their Big Ten season following those two early losses.

Purdue's trending well, having experienced some things.