The IU versus Purdue rivalry weekend will conclude Sunday as the women’s basketball programs clash at Mackey Arena.
While the wrestling and men’s basketball teams faced off Friday and Saturday, the women’s basketball teams come in evenly matched and could produce the closest matchup.
Here are three things to know for the matchup.
1. Wise vs. Harris
For both teams, scoring mostly comes from the guard position. Junior Dominique Oden and sophomore Karissa McLaughlin lead Purdue in scoring as both total more than 15 points per game.
It’s a similar situation for IU, as three of the team’s top four scorers are guards.
With the guards producing at such a high rate, the play by the forwards could be the difference in the game. Both teams have high-scoring forwards in their arsenals with Purdue junior Ae’Rianna Harris and IU junior forward Brenna Wise.
Harris is averaging 13.6 points per game while shooting more than 50 percent from the field. Wise is averaging 13.5 points per contest and has been a key piece for IU with a 92.6 free throw percentage.
2. Teams come in with different stretches
IU got off to one of its best starts in program history and now finds itself as the 25th-ranked team in the nation. However, recent play in the Big Ten has been tough for the Hoosiers.
IU has lost two of its last three games. After losing at Ohio State last week, the Hoosiers were able to recover and win at Wisconsin on Sunday.
Coming off a loss at home against Northwestern on Wednesday, IU will need the bounce-back ability once again.
For Purdue, the team has won three of its last four games and finds itself receiving top-25 votes. The Boilermakers' hot stretch is highlighted by a 62-57 win at home against then-No. 17 Iowa. They also won at Northwestern on Sunday and lost by just two points at No. 20 Rutgers on Wednesday.
Both teams play tight games, even in losses. In IU’s three losses, the team has lost by an average of less than five points. In five losses to teams that are not No. 2 University of Connecticut, Purdue’s average margin of defeat is 6.2.
3. IU has series momentum
Last season was a rare occasion in which the two teams faced off against each other three times. IU won all three.
After rolling through both regular season wins with an average margin of victory of 13, IU blew past Purdue by 22 points in the third round of the WNIT tournament.
Despite winning three straight contests against Purdue, IU trails in the all-time series 54-32.
The Hoosiers have won the Barn Burner trophy the last two seasons, but this matchup will not determine who controls it this season. The battle between the teams in Bloomington on March 3 will determine that.
