Purdue started the 2024-25 college basketball season with an 8-4 record through their first 12 games. After their 12th game, an 87-69 loss vs No. 2 Auburn on December 21, the Boilermakers went on a dominant run where they went 11-1. Their one loss during that run, a 73-70 battle against the unranked Ohio State Buckeyes.
During that stretch, the Boilermakers averaged 80.9 PPG while holding opponents to just 65.5 PPG.
Purdue’s last win during that stretch was on February 7 in a 90-72 blowout of unranked USC. Since that win, Purdue has lost four straight games.
Most recently, the Boilermakers were embarrassed 73-58 by their in-state rival in the unranked Indiana Hoosiers on Sunday.
Purdue’s 58 points Sunday was the least amount of points any Power Conference school has scored against Indiana this year. The 73 points that Purdue gave up to the Hoosiers was the most Indiana has scored since January.
This four-game losing streak has taken Purdue from a 19-5 overall record and 11-2 Big Ten record and the No. 7 team in the country to a 19-9 team with an 11-6 Big Ten record and the No. 13 team in the country. Come Monday, that No. 13 ranking is likely to drop as well.
During this losing streak, the Boilermakers have averaged just 70.3 PPG while giving up 79.3 PPG to opponents.
Three of the four opponents that have beaten Purdue during this stretch have been ranked opponents, making the losses respectable. All of those three teams were ranked lower in the AP Top 25 Poll than Purdue at the time of the meeting.
The Boilermakers have been showing concerning signs throughout the season with losses against unranked Ohio State and unranked Penn State earlier in the season -- but this losing streak could not come at a worse time with the Big Ten Tournament and March Madness right around the corner.
Purdue’s last three regular season games are against unranked UCLA, unranked Rutgers, and unranked Illinois, but rankings aren’t everything. UCLA and Purdue are currently tied in the Big Ten standings, and Illinois is just two games behind the Boilermakers.
The Boilermakers desperately need to build up momentum, but with how disappointing they have been in February thus far, things are not looking good for Purdue’s chance to make a deep run in the tournament come March.