Really only one team has a shot at catching Michigan State for the Big Ten regular-season title, and that’s Wisconsin, which trails the 8-0 Spartans by two games in the conference race. Purdue was a preseason co-favorite with MSU but is just 4-3 in the Big Ten, but the Boilermakers are big 9.5-point betting favorites on WagerWeb.com’s college basketball odds to handle their business at home tonight.
The Boilermakers have won four of the last five meetings between the two teams but not the most recent one: On Jan. 9 in Madison, the Badgers won 73-66 behind a career-high 23 points from reserve Jordan Taylor and a career-high-tying 20 from Jason Bohannon. Also, UW had second-leading scorer Jon Leuer in that game but he has since broken his wrist and remains out a few more weeks.
That was Purdue’s first loss of the season and began a three-game skid. E’Twaun Moore had 24 points and Robbie Hummel added 13 against the Badgers, but Purdue shot awful from 3-point range (3 of 10) and the free-throw line (13 of 24). Purdue center JaJuan Johnson had 10 rebounds but was held to seven points, making 1-of-7 free throws.
But Johnson is playing much better of late. The junior was an all-conference pick last season, but he struggled with inconsistency and foul trouble before he averaged 22.5 points and 9.5 rebounds per game to lead Purdue to conference victories over Illinois and Michigan last week and was named Big Ten Player of the Week.
And the Boilers’ Moore, the team leader with an average of 17.5 points per game, is shooting a 49.8 percent from the floor for the year, which is 14th in the Big Ten. He is hitting 55.3 percent in league play to rank fifth among all players and first among Big Ten guards.
Including that first meeting, the Badgers have won four of their last five vs. ranked opponents. While Purdue, dating to last season, has lost six of its past eight Big Ten road games.
Purdue is 35-2 all-time at home against Wisconsin.
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