Overview
- The Big Ten matchup tips at 8 p.m. ET at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette and streams exclusively on Peacock.
- Purdue and Michigan State enter with identical records at 22-5 overall and 12-4 in conference play, tied for third place.
- Title stakes are limited with Michigan controlling the race, though one outlet reports the loser would be eliminated from contention.
- The spotlight falls on elite facilitators Jeremy Fears Jr. (9.2 assists per game) and Braden Smith (8.7), with Smith sitting at 994 career assists.
- Purdue has won five of six, including a 93-64 rout of Indiana after a damaging 91-80 loss to Michigan, while Michigan State arrives off wins over UCLA and Ohio State but carries a multi-year drought at Mackey reported as five straight losses there and seven straight at Purdue since 2014.