Purdue Non-Conference Tracker: 1/13/23

To see the previous update, check here.

Purdue has wrapped up its non-conference slate undefeated and has since dove into B1G play. It’s good to look back at those non-conference games and check to see how our opponents have been doing. In the ideal world, Purdue’s opponents win every game that isn’t against Purdue so that their NET (the committee uses NET rather than Kenpom but NET hasn’t been available all season) ranking is the best possible. This takes shape in a team like Milwaukee, who has transformed into a Q3 win for Purdue since the last update. There’s still a lot of basketball to be played this season, so Purdue could have their resume change a bit by Selection Sunday. We wish nothing but victories for the 11 teams below, unless of course, they somehow play Purdue again.

Q1: Home vs 1-30, Neutral vs 1-50, Away vs 1-75

Q2: Home vs 31-75, Neutral vs 51-100, Away vs 76-135

Q3: Home vs 76-160, Neutral vs 101-200, Away vs 136-240

Q4: Home vs 161+, Neutral vs 201+, Away vs 241+

Milwaukee

Since Last Update: L at Oakland, W at Detroit Mercy, W at Cleveland State, W at Purdue Fort Wayne. W vs Northern Kentucky

NET: 154

Quad 3 Win

Austin Peay

Since Last Update: L at Tennessee, L at Queens, L at North Florida, W vs Florida Gulf Coast, W vs Central Arkansas, L vs Lipscomb

NET: 268

Quad 4 Win

Marquette

Since Last Update: L at Providence, W vs Seton Hall, W at Villanova, W at St. John’s, W vs Georgetown, W vs Connecticut

NET: 16

Quad 1 Win

West Virginia (PKL)

Since Last Update: W vs Stony Brook, L at Kansas State, L at Oklahoma State, L vs Kansas, L vs Baylor

NET: 29

Quad 1 Win

6 Gonzaga (PKL)

Since Last Update: W vs Montana, W vs Eastern Oregon, W vs Pepperdine, W at San Francisco, W at Santa Clara, W at BYU

NET: 12

Quad 1 Win

8 Duke (PKL)

Since Last Update: L at Wake Forest, W vs Florida State, L at NC State, W at Boston College, W vs Pittsburgh

NET: 23

Quad 1 Win

@Florida State

Since Last Update: W vs Notre Dame, L at Duke, W vs Georgia Tech, L at Wake Forest

NET: 227

Quad 3 Win

Hofstra

Since Last Update: L at South Florida, W vs SUNY- Old Westbury, W at Delaware, L vs NCA&T, W at Hampton, W at William & Mary, W vs Monmouth

NET: 115

Quad 3 Win

Davidson (Indy Classic)

Since Last Update: L vs Northeastern, W at Fordham, L vs Dayton, W vs Loyola Chicago, L at VCU, L vs Richmond

NET: 164

Quad 3 Win

New Orleans

Since Last Update: L at Houston Christian, W vs Lamar, W vs Houston Christian, W at Incarnate Word

NET: 347

Quad 4 Win

Florida A&M

Since Last Update: L vs Bethune-Cookman, L at Southern, L at Grambling State

NET: 360

Quad 4 Win

Across the non-conference slate, Purdue piled up 4 Q1, 4 Q3, and 3 Q4 wins (currently). That’s about as good of a non-conference schedule as you can get, so Purdue has set itself up nicely for the committee’s review in March. The committee really focuses on Q1/Q2 wins and Q3/Q4 losses, but there seems to be little chance of teams jumping between Q2 and Q3. That would mean a huge tumble by Marquette, West Virginia, Gonzaga, or Duke or a big rise out of Milwaukee, Florida State, Hofstra, or Davidson. The closest of any of those teams to making a jump is Hofstra, but they would need to improve by 40 NET spots to become a Q2 win for Purdue. Although not impossible, it’s hard to move in the NET. Take West Virginia for example; WVU has lost 4 straight games and has only dipped from 13 to 29 in the NET. So for now, Purdue looks pretty locked into their non-conference resume (which is still one of the best in the nation) but crazier things have happened.

As it stands, Purdue is 6-1 in Q1 (most Q1 wins in the country), 1-0 in Q2, and 4-0 in both Q3 and Q4. The Boilermakers will still have 13 opportunities for Q1/Q2 wins in B1G play as all but one Big Ten team has a sub-100 NET ranking. On the flip side, Purdue currently only has two opportunities for a “bad” loss when they take on Nebraska at home and Minnesota on the road. If Matt Painter and company can take care of business against the Huskers and Gophers, they nearly guarantee a flawless Q3/Q4 slate. That can go a long way if Purdue wants to get on the 1-line come tournament time.