Governor’s Update: Purdue Holds Slim Lead Headed Into Final Events

Since the 2001-02 school year Purdue and Indiana have competed in the all-sports series called the Governor’s Cup. Yes, it was first called the Crimson & Gold Cup, but it is now the Governor’s Cup sponsored by the Indiana National Guard. After Indiana dominated the early years Purdue has done much better of late, winning four of the last five.

Points are awarded to the winning team in each of the schools’ 20 shared sports. If the two teams do not meet during the regular season, the higher finisher at the Big Ten Championships is the point winner. In the case of ties, both teams get half a point.

So far this year 18 of 20 events are complete and Purdue holds a slim 9.5 to 8.5 advantage. The lone events left are the Big Ten Outdoor Track & Field Championships next weekend for both men & women. The schools were in this exact same spot last year and Purdue’s women clinched the Cup with a second place finish in the Big Ten meet with Indiana finishing fourth.

Here is how this year’s scoring has come down:

Women’s Soccer: Purdue 1, Indiana 0 (2OT)

Sarah Clark’s penalty kick goal in the 105th minute secured the Golden Boot for the fourth straight season and got Purdue on the board.

Men’s Cross Country Big Ten Meet: Purdue 2nd, Indiana 3rd

The Boilers got a second point as the men’s team had its best Big Ten finish in 33 years. Jaret Carpenter and Curt Eckstein each finished in the top 10 and five runners finished in the top 30.

Women’s Cross Country Big Ten Meet: Indiana 5th, Purdue 10th

The women were not so lucky, as Indiana’s best finisher was in sixth and Purdue’s was in 31st at the Big Ten meet.

Volleyball: Purdue 3, Indiana 2 (West Lafayette); Purdue 3, Indiana 2 (Bloomington)

Both matches went to five sets, but Purdue got the season sweep for the full volleyball point and the Golden Spike stayed in West Lafayette.

Football: Purdue 28, Indiana 21

Rondale Moore was un-coverable, Markell Jones ran roughshod in his final regular season game, and Purdue kept the Bucket in West Lafayette. That was three individual sport trophies on the line in the fall and all three stayed in West Lafayette.

Wrestling: Purdue 18, Indiana 11

For the ninth straight year Purdue took the dual meet against Indiana, this time in Mackey Arena.

Men’s Basketball: Purdue 70, Indiana 55 (West Lafayette), Purdue 48, Indiana 46 (Bloomington)

Nojel Eastern put Romeo Langford in a box for 40 minutes in West Lafayette as the Boilers pulled away at home. In Bloomington, the game was so ugly it would make your eyes bleed, but Ryan Cline’s late three and the last-second tip-in from Matt Haarms were things of beauty.

Women’s Basketball: Purdue 56, Indiana 53 (West Lafayette), Indiana 73, Purdue 51 (Bloomington)

The fact that Second Round Sharon lost to Indiana three times last year is a fireable offense in its own right, but at least we won the home game this year. The game in Bloomington was for the Barn Burner Trophy and it stayed in Bloomington for a third straight year. Somehow, through all his, Sharon stays employed.

Men’s Swimming and Diving: Indiana 188, Purdue 106

Yeah, we’re a diving school and our Olympian missed the season with a foot injury.

Women’s Swimming and Diving: Indiana 187.5, Purdue 111.5

Gold medalist Lilly King for Indiana is really fast at swimming. Not much you can do when they have someone who is literally the best in the world at what she does.

Men’s Tennis: Indiana 4, Purdue 2

We’re better at golf anyway if we’re talking country club sports.

Men’s Indoor Track Big Ten Meet: Indiana 2nd, Purdue 4th

This does not bode well for the outdoor meet, as Indiana had 91 points to Purdue’s 70.

Women’s Indoor Track Big Ten Meet: Indiana 2nd, Purdue 10th

Purdue graduated a number of NCAA Finalists from last year’s team and scored only 25 points to Indiana’s 83.

Women’s Tennis: Purdue 5, Indiana 2

Four of the singles matches went the full three sets, but Purdue prevailed in all four of them to take the point.

Baseball: Indiana 7, Purdue 6 (10 innings)

With no conference series this year the point was decided on a single midweek game. Purdue tied it with two outs in the ninth, but lost it on a bases loaded walk-off single in the 10th.

Softball: Indiana 2, Purdue 1; Purdue 5, Indiana 4 (9 innings)

On the same night Purdue and Indiana played in baseball the softball teams split a doubleheader in Bloomington. Purdue has only gone 2-8 since, however.

Women’s Golf Big Ten Meet: Purdue 2nd, Indiana 2nd

Yes, the teams tied with the exact same score at the Big Ten meet and had to split the point even though Purdue had the individual league champ.

Men’s Golf Big Ten Meet: Purdue 2nd, Indiana 7th

The men’s team put its stamp on another NCAA bid with a second place finish just five shots behind league champion Illinois.

The final event in the outdoor track & field meet will take place next weekend at Iowa. Purdue needs to finish ahead of Indiana in the men’s or women’s standings to clinch the title and even the overall Cup series at 8-8-2.