The Weekly Word is GoldandBlack.com's weekly, obviously, column covering Purdue football, basketball and recruiting, as well as college sports issues, the true meaning of life, or whatever other topics might come to mind in a given week.

Purdue heads to the Big Ten Tournament — and the NCAA Tournament — on a five-game winning streak, playing some of its best basketball of the season and holding credible hopes to make a name for itself in Indy in March.

This is a golden opportunity on that front. I don't know if the general college basketball follower has paid Purdue much mind all season. The Boilermakers were average last season, came into this season with minimal fanfare and have no signature stars that may resonate outside Big Ten Country. They don't yet anyway. Give Jaden Ivey and Zach Edey a few more weeks.

This is a great opportunity for the Boilermakers, and the Boilermakers have spent their season capitalizing on opportunity, so why stop now?

But five-game winning streak or not, the reality is this: Purdue has to keep getting better.