Washington Seeks Top-5 Upset against Purdue
Looking to make a statement and pull off a top-5 road upset, the Washington men’s basketball team takes on No. 5 Purdue Wednesday night at Mackey Arena. Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m. PT, airing on the Big Ten Network.
KEY INFORMATION
- UW continues its Hoosier State tour Wednesday night at Purdue
- Purdue is ranked No. 5 in both major polls, entering the clash at 13-1, 3-0 in Big Ten play
- Washington is coming off a 90-80 loss at Indiana on Sunday
ABOUT the DAWGS
HuskiesLooking to Bounce Back
Washington is seeking a marquee win and a top-5 road upset Wednesday night when they take on No. 5 Purdue at Mackey Arena. The Huskies are coming off a tough loss to Indiana on Sunday, in which they were outshot by the Hoosiers in the first half and ultimately outscored by 20 points.
We have to do a better job shooting the ball,” UW coach Tony Castricone said. “We can’t give up 66 percent of the shots and expect to win on the road.”
The Huskies did have some bright spots in the loss, namely freshman star Hannes Steinbach, who recorded his fourth straight double-double with 24 points and 16 rebounds. However, UW will need to improve their shooting and limit their turnovers to have a chance at beating the highly-ranked Boilermakers.
ABOUT PURDUE
Boilermakers Roll into Matchup
Purdue comes into Wednesday’s game riding a five-game winning streak and ranked No. 5 nationally. Under head coach Matt Painter, the Boilermakers have made 16 NCAA Tournament appearances and boast an impressive resume.
- Purdue is tied atop the Big Ten standings at 3-0 and has outscored opponents by an average of 19.9 points per game
- The Boilermakers are led by 2025 Big Ten Player of the Year candidate Braden Smith, who averages 9.6 assists and 2.09 assist-to-turnover ratio per game
- Purdue’s 39.7 three-point percentage leads the Big Ten and ranks 10th nationally
SERIES HISTORY – Purdue
- Purdue has won 6-of-7 meetings with UW all-time, including the last three
- UW is winless in two trips to West Lafayette, their last visit coming in 1966
X-FACTOR FOR UW
Steinbach’s Continued Excellence
Freshman forward Hannes Steinbach has been a bright spot for the Huskies this season, leading the Big Ten in double-doubles with nine. If he can continue his impressive play against Purdue, UW will have a chance at picking up a big road win.
THINGS TO KNOW
- Washington has not beaten a ranked opponent on the road since 2009
- Purdue has not lost at home since February 2021, a span of 42 games
- Wednesday’s matchup will feature two of the nation’s top rebounders in Hannes Steinbach and Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn