Braden Smith has averaged almost three steals over the past eight games, and the Boilermakers' turnover creation has spiked as well.

Both teams could use the Quadrant 1 win to improve their respective resumes come Selection Sunday, with Purdue (14-4, 6-1) arguably in bigger need of the road victory with all of its losses coming away from home.

Purdue won the Big Ten by three games last season, despite three road losses. Yet it also went to Champaign and beat its closest competitor — the Illini — in the penultimate game of the regular season.