Purdue @ Minnesota preview

Last Meeting ( Feb 3, 2019 ) Minnesota 63, Purdue 73

No. 9 Purdue looks to take a big step towards its second Big Ten regular-season championship in three years when it visits Minnesota on Tuesday. The Boilermakers blasted Ohio State 86-51 on Saturday to extend their home winning streak to 17 while taking sole possession of first place after 11th-ranked Michigan State was knocked off by Indiana. They can claim at least a share of the title by sweeping the season series with the Gophers for the second straight year.

"We're excited for Minnesota on Tuesday," Purdue guard Ryan Cline told reporters. "We're motivated that we're on top of the Big Ten." Minnesota kept their NCAA Tournament hopes alive with a 62-50 win against Northwestern on Thursday and ended a six-game road losing skid in the process. The Golden Gophers had lost six of their previous seven games overall before beating the Wildcats and can likely play their way into the tournament by beating the Boilermakers and No. 24 Maryland in their regular-season finale. "These last couple games are really important for the Big Ten Tournament and obviously a (NCAA) Tournament bid," Minnesota guard Amir Coffey told reporters. "We're trying to pick up as many as we can."

TV: 8 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network

ABOUT PURDUE (22-7, 15-3 Big Ten): Carsen Edwards knocked down four 3-pointers en route to a game-high 25 points and dished out five assists in the win against Ohio State to move into 10th place on the Boilermakers' all-time scoring list with 1,727 points. Edwards also moved into second place on the program's all-time 3-pointers list with 246 and needs one more to break the single-season Purdue record for most 3-point field goals currently held by Troy Lewis (100). Matt Haarms continued his stellar play since the turn of the calendar year as he scored 12 points and pulled down six rebounds while Aaron Wheeler added 10 points and eight boards against the Buckeyes.

ABOUT MINNESOTA (18-11, 8-10): Coffey was named the Big Ten Player of the Week after registering his first collegiate double-double with 21 points and a career-high 12 rebounds in the win over Northwestern. Gabe Kalascheur knocked down a 3-pointer en route to seven points and is 19-of-26 from beyond the arc over his last six games while Daniel Oturu added seven points and 10 rebounds against the Wildcats. Jordan Murphy was limited to six points on 3-of-10 shooting from the floor, but still moved past the legendary Kevin McHale (1,704) for seventh place on Minnesota's all-time scoring list.

TIP-INS

1. Purdue has won 13 of its last 14 games, including nine by double digits.

2. Murphy leads the Big Ten in rebounds per game (11.7).

3. Edwards has scored 20 or more points in 21 games this season.

PREDICTION: Purdue 75, Minnesota 74