Preview: No. 15 Purdue
Vitals:
Wisconsin Badgers (20-10, 12-5) at Purdue Boilermakers (23-7, 11-6)
Sunday, March 6, 2016 • West Lafayette, Ind. • Mackey Arena • 6:30 p.m. CT • BTN
Wisconsin Badgers • 4th in B1G • Streak: W4
Roster • Schedule • Statistics
Fr • F • Ethan Happ • 6-9 • 235 • 11.9 ppg (12.1 ppg B1G)
Happ had 2 points and 3 rebounds when Purdue defeated the Badgers at the Kohl Center at the start of Big Ten season, but that performance was more of an anomaly than a sign of things to come for the likely Big Ten Freshman of the Year. Happ recorded 12 points and 10 rebounds in Wisconsin's victory over Minnesota on Wednesday night, which has been a typical performance for Happ this year. He is currently on pace to become the Big Ten's first freshman in 20 seasons to average 11.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 1.0 apg, 1.8 spg and 1.0 bpg.
Jr • F • Vitto Brown • 6-8• 230 • 9.5 ppg (8.8 ppg B1G)
Over his last 8 games, Brown is averaging 12.3 ppg and shooting 15-for-34 (.441) from three-point range. Brown has gone 9 of his past 10 games with at least 1 made three-pointer, highlighted by his 4-for-6 (.667) performance against Michigan on February 28. Brown was limited to 4 points in 20 minutes on 0-for-1 (.000) shooting from three-point range the last time these two teams met.
Jr • F • Nigel Hayes • 6-8 • 240 • 16.1 ppg (15.9 ppg B1G)
For the third time this Big Ten season, Hayes was held to single digits with a mere 6 points on 1-for-4 (.250) shooting at Minnesota on Wednesday. It was also a rough night for Hayes offensively in the sharing-is-caring department as he failed to pick up an assist for the first time since February 10 against Nebraska, breaking a streak of 5 games in which he had at least 1 assist and averaged 2.2 apg.
Jr • G • Bronson Koenig • 6-4 • 193 • 13.7 ppg (13.1 ppg B1G)
Koenig added to his program-record of most consecutive games with a made three-pointer by knocking down a triple on the first play against Minnesota, extending his streak to 41 games. Koenig has led the Badgers in scoring in each of the previous three games, averaging 16.0 ppg on 15-for-23 (.652) shooting from the field and 9-for-15 (.600) shooting from three-point range.
Jr • G • Zak Showalter • 6-2 • 184 • 7.6 ppg (7.5 ppg B1G)
Showalter went 4-for-6 (.667) from the field against Purdue back on December 29, and since that date he has shot at least 50 percent from the field in 10 of 16 games, including a perfect 100 percent mark against Rutgers (8-for-8) and Penn State (1-for-1). Showalter went 0-for-1 (.000) from three-point range against Purdue, but has averaged 1.1 made three-pointers per game since.
Purdue Boilermakers • 5th in B1G • Streak: W2
Roster • Schedule • Statistics
Sr • C • A.J. Hammons • 7-0 • 250 • 14.8 ppg (15.8 B1G)
Fr • F • Caleb Swanigan • 6-9 • 250 • 9.9 ppg (8.7 B1G)
So • F • Vince Edwards • 6-8 • 225 • 10.5 ppg (11.8 B1G)
Sr • G • Rapheal Davis • 6-6 • 217 • 8.7 ppg (7.6 B1G)
So • G • P.J. Thompson • 5-10 • 188 • 5.3 ppg (5.5 B1G)
Home Sweet Home
A win against Wisconsin on Sunday night would give Purdue a program-record 17th home victory of the season. The Boilermakers have been dominant at home, especially over their last seven games in which they have gone a perfect 7-0 and won each of those games by a combined 75 points (10.7 ppg). Home victories for the Boilermakers this season include wins over Florida, Michigan, Michigan State and Maryland. Purdue is averaging 78.0 points per game at Mackey Arena this conference season - considerably higher than its 72.0 points per game away from West Lafayette, which includes a 107-point outburst at Rutgers. Purdue's senior class of Rapheal Davis, A.J. Hammons, Johnny Hill, and Stephen Toyra are 54-16 (.771) at home during their careers, including 30-4 (.882) over the past two seasons.
Matchup Downlow
Led by A.J. Hammons and his 24 points, the Boilermakers outscored the Badgers 34-20 in Purdue's 61-55 victory at the Kohl Center on December 29. Ethan Happ - then playing in the first Big Ten game of his career - was limited to 2 points on 1-for-8 (.125). Since that game, Hammons has maintained his high-level of play, while Happ has morphed from an inexperienced, overmatched freshman into one of the most versatile post players the conference has to offer. Hammons has scored in double figures in 11-straight games, and ranks second in the conference with 24.7 ponts per 40 minutes. Hammons is the only player in the league to rank in the top-12 in scoring (12th), rebounding (3rd) and field-goal percentage (3rd). Happ is one of 26 players in the conference averaging at least 12.0 ppg during conference play, and he ranks tied for 3rd with Hammons in rebounds per game in Big Ten contests (7.6). The combination of scoring and rebounding has allowed Happ to record a conference-leading nine double-doubles this season to go along with his conference-best 1.8 steals per game. Happ is on pace to become just the 10th major-conference freshman to average 11.0 ppg, 7.5 rpg, 1.0 bpg, 1.0 spg in the last 10 years.
Bench Scoring
Purdue's bench has outscored the opposing bench in 28 of 30 games this season, by a total margin of 949-441 (31.6-14.7 per game). Led by Isaac Haas and his 9.9 points per game, the Boilermakers' bench accounts for 40.8 percent of the team's scoring this season. By comparison, Wisconsin's highest scoring bench player this season is Jordan Hill and his 3.1 ppg. The Badgers get just 14.7 percent of their scoring from their bench this season, and have been outscored in the bench department in 21 of 30 games this season, falling short in that category by a margin of 499-314 (16.6-10.5 per game).
Prediction
Purdue 75, Wisconsin 71
Prediction record: 22-8 (14-3)
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