‘They want to beat us as badly as we want to beat them.’: Next chapter of Purdue-Indiana basketball rivalry is written tonight

Tonight, the 218th chapter of the Indiana basketball and Purdue basketball rivalry kicks off on this blistering cold night in Bloomington. Like every chapter before, this one comes with it’s own unique, fresh storylines as the Hoosiers look to make a statement and own this part of the incredible, never-ending story.

The rivalry of the Hoosiers and Boilermakers dates back all the way to March 1st of 1901. Since then, Purdue has the edge in head-to-head matchups holding a 125-92 record vs Indiana basketball. While Indiana fans will always be able to say they have more nationals championships at five compared to Purdue’s zero, the Boilermaker fans can say at this current moment they have won more contests when the two teams meet.

As of very recent history however, you can almost say that Mike Woodson has the number of Matt Painter ever since Woodson took over at the helm at Indiana. In the four head-to-head contests, Woodson has the 3-1 edge over Painter which includes the ‘Big Shot Rob’ shot from former Indiana basketball guard Rob Phinisee and of course the 35-point performance from Jalen Hood-Schifino last year that led to the first season sweep of Purdue since the 2012-2013 campaign.

For this year, there are many obvious differences than what Mike Woodson has had with his Hoosiers the last two season. You don’t have Rob Phinisee trying to beat his hometown team, you don’t have Jalen Hood-Schifino putting the team on his back, and you for sure don’t have an All-American in Trayce Jackson-Davis to combat the monstrous Zach Edey.

The team that is representing this year’s Indiana team is a young one and haven’t been in games of this magnitude let alone know exactly what this rivalry means to the college basketball landscape and the state of Indiana. Out of all the roster members, only a handful of players really know what this rivalry means.

Regardless of this new-look Indiana team, the preparation remains the same game-to-game for Mike Woodson and this Indiana basketball team no matter who the opponent is.

“Every game is important, that’s how I approach it. It’s not just this game. We take it one game at a time, we prepare,” said Mike Woodson when speaking to the media on Monday. “Yes, we are a young team, hadn’t been together, and a lot of these guys hadn’t been in big games like this. It’s my job to get them ready and calm them down if they come out not ready, and see where it leads us, man.”

This game, however, feels just a tad bit more important. For starters, this is a game that Indiana desperately needs to win in order to build some quality wins on their NCAA Tournament resume. Having a top ranked rival coming into your house when you have the crowd behind you is a major edge and one Indiana needs to take advantage of.

Speaking of the crowd, the energy that Hoosier Nation has brought this season at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall has felt like it has hit a new level this year, especially when the students are in the house. Games like the one vs Kansas and the Big Ten games have had an amazing feel to them.

When Purdue comes into town however, there is just a different feel to Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall, one that just has a feel of hatred and of significant importance. Indiana fans don’t want to lose to Purdue ever, especially inside their house and they will do what it takes to make sure that does not happen. Purdue fans feel the exact same way.

The rivalry just hits different when the two teams face off vs one-another.

“They want to beat us as badly as we want to beat them. It’s been that way. I think it’s great for college basketball,” said Woodson. “They have their fan base, and we have our fan base. When you go there, it’s the same way. When they come here, our fans are unbelievable.”

“It doesn’t matter who we put in, our fans have been great all these years, and that’s not going to change.”

You have to give credit where credit is due, this Purdue team is playing at a whole new level this season, a national champion level even. Zach Edey is so close to winning national player for a second straight year and guys like Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and many others have taken that necessary next step in order for the Boilermakers to achieve their goals.

No matter the crowd advantage or not, this is going to be an extremely tough task for Indiana to overcome. Some of Purdue’s strengths this season do not mix well with some of Indiana’s bigger weaknesses. The Boilermakers are a great offensive rebounding team when the Hoosiers struggle on the glass. This Purdue team can knock down shots whereas Indiana has lapses on perimeter defense.

If Indiana basketball is going to pull an upset victory against their biggest rival, those weaknesses are going to need to be non-existent. The Hoosiers have to play up to their potential and show mental toughness and high basketball IQ.

“We know we’ve got a hell of an opponent coming in here tomorrow, and we’ve got to do all the necessary things to win,” said Woodson. “We’ve got to rebound the ball, not turn it over, and you’ve got to share it and get shots, and it helps if you can put the ball in the hole.”

“All those things tie in together in terms of you winning basketball games.”

The opportunity for Mike Woodson and Indiana basketball is there tonight to take that big leap for this young team and have them feel what it is like to win a big game. No matter the outcome, the newest chapter in the Indiana-Purdue rivalry will be written tonight.

Will the Hoosiers have the feel-good ending in this latest chapter? Tonight, we find out.

“You can’t ask for bigger games than this,” Woodson said. “Like I said, this is what fans like to see. It’s good for college basketball. We’ll just see what happens tomorrow night.”

SEE ALSO: Indiana basketball facing Purdue team with new offensive dynamic. Its ability to hit 3s: ‘That’s the biggest challenge’

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