In their shocking 73-63 upset of #6 Michigan State Sunday, the unranked Purdue Boilermakers ended MSU’s 13 game win streak, as well as their bid for the first 10-0 Big Ten start in school history. This past weekend’s loss also saw State trail by their largest margin (23) in any game this season, before an epic fake rally window dressed the score quite a bit.
Purdue also held Sparty to their lowest point total in a half since 2004 and ended State’s 21 game conference win streak. So now with this blockbuster win under their belt, where do the Purdue Boilermakers stand in terms of season profile/postseason projection?
This could be the year that the Boilermakers finally do not peak in February (although last year it was in January for a change), like they have so many times in recent years. Their fan base is clamoring for a deep run in March when everybody is paying attention and gambling ramps up interest in the sport. At places like Virgin casino online, it’s all about the gaming action, and very few events in sports inspire wagering at a tour de force level like the NCAA Tournament does every spring.
The term “March Madness” says it all, as just about everybody bets on the brackets. Will this be the year Purdue makes it to the Elite 8? It hasn’t happened since 2000. How about the Final Four?
The Boilers haven’t been there since 1980. They might be backed at a good price this March, so look at them as a good dark horse bet.
Purdue Boilermakers Postseason Profile
Record: 14-6, Conference record: 7-2, Quad 1 record: 5-5
Rankings/Metrics:
AP Poll- (two places outside of the top 25), Sagarin #10, NET #10, SoS #3, kenpom #8 (never been outside the top 20 this season), BPI #10
Key Wins: Sunday was the signature victory (go here for a full lowdown on MSU’s season profile/tourney projection), Iowa (#19 in the latest AP poll), Maryland (#13 this week) Wisconsin (in and out of the national rankings this season, consistently in the top 40 for most metrics this season)
Stat pack:
Purdue has now won 28 games against teams ranked in the top ten all time at Mackey Arena; where they are now 58-4 since the beginning of 2015-16. One quarter of their wins against the top ten at home have come against Michigan State.
Their 94% winning percentage at home the past three and a half years is second nationally behind only Kentucky, who are 60-4.
Bad Losses: Notre Dame, Texas
Overall, the MSU win might have been worth a full jump up one slot on the seeding line come selection Sunday. Right now they resemble a #3 or #4 seed.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, which is partnered with News Now. Banks, a former writer for NBC Chicago.com and Chicago Tribune.com, regularly appears as a guest pundit on WGN CLTV and co-hosts the “Let’s Get Weird, Sports” podcast on SB Nation.
He also contributes sociopolitical essays to Chicago Now. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram. The content of his cat’s Instagram account is unquestionably superior to his.