This is always the most important game of the season.
We hate them because they have NCAA championships and we do not. They hate us because we are Little Brother. If you're a Purdue fan you would rather be dead than red. If you're an Indiana fan, well, I don't want to know what you think about.
One of the hardest things I have ever had to do was sit in Mackey Arena last year and watch as Indiana unleashed an absolutely unmerciful beating on our Boilers. I stayed for every second of the 97-60 beating and watched as A.J. Hammons was the only player in gold and black that was aware a college basketball game was going on. I took my beating like a man and it has been almost three years since we have tasted sweet triumph over the Hoosiers.
Though both teams are severely underachieving the winner at least gets a small measure of pride because then they can say, "hey, at least we beat them."
Three years is far, far too long to way for a win over the hate Hoosiers. Let's not make it four.
Projected Starters | |
Purdue Boilermakers (14-10, 4-7) | Indiana Hoosiers (14-10, 4-7) |
Terone Johnson - Sr. | Stanford Robinson- Fr. |
Ronnie Johnson - So. | Yogi Ferrell - So. |
Sterling Carter - Sr. | Will Sheehey - Jr. |
Basil Smotherman - Fr. | Troy Williams - Fr. |
A.J. Hammons - Fr. | Noah Vonleh - Fr. |