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volume 23, EX 19 • jan. 28, 2013 Inside | Men beat Iowa 6-9 | Remembering Bob King 10-13 Women alone in second spot 18-23 | Football notes 25-27 purdue winning despite continued inconsistency BY BRIAN NEUBERT BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com important that we have our best six weeks of basketball here to finish the season. "That goes without saying, but to me, when you have such an inconsistent nonconference (season), now you have to be so good and we really have to work toward that and get better at competing and get better at playing smart. I'm not frustrated. I just wish we'd been in a better position to start conference play." Purdue's play lately has made the topurdue has a long way to go to legitisy-turvy pre-conference season — whethmizing whatever NCAA Tournament er it was the Boilermakers' maddening hopes it may still maintain. losses in New York City; their frustrating But the Boilermakers can go a long defeat at Eastern Michigan; or just their way toward doing that by winning games general inability to close out winnable like the one that awaits on games — seem to be much Wednesday, when No. 3 Inlonger ago than it actually diana visits Mackey Arena. was. The Boilermakers have A Purdue team that come a long way in recent went just 6-6 prior to the weeks, having won four of start of conference play is their last five games, their 4-3 in the Big Ten, all its losslone loss coming at thenes coming to ranked teams, No. 2 Michigan after they two of them on the road. led at halftime. The Boilermakers are But Purdue is clearly not winning now and up unthere yet. til Sunday's overtime win "I'm pleased with at Iowa, they were looking our progress in the past good doing it. month," Coach Matt Painter But the 65-62 win over said. "We just put ourselves the Hawkeyes shined a light in such a hole with our inyet again on a recurring consistent play in nonTom Campbell problem the Boilermakers conference. Purdue is looking to avenge last year's 78-61 home loss to Indiana, a game where the Hoosiers sealed must remedy if they hope "It's going to be really off the hosts with a 13-0 run in the final 2:14 of the contest. to win the sort of big games P THE Numbers 26 49-25 The edge Purdue (112 wins) has in its series vs. Indiana (86) in men's basketball, dating back to its start in 1901. The Boilermakers have won six of the last eight. Purdue's record against Indiana in women's basketball. The Boilermakers will be looking to make it 18 wins in 21 games with a victory at home over the Hoosiers on Thursday. The minimum number of ranked Big Ten Teams the men will play in 2013. The previous high-water mark for ranked conference opponents on Purdue's schedule is eight, which happened in 1989, '90, '92, '94, '97 and '99 and 2012. The number of overtime games the women have played in to date, winning all four. It ties a season high for extra period contests that also occurred in 1995-96, 2005-06 and last season. It's the first time, though, that Purdue has won all four OT games. 9 4 they'll need to cancel out some of their disappointing early season losses. It's almost February and Purdue is still battling to play sound basketball at critical times. The Boilermakers nearly let significant leads slip in wins over Illinois and Nebraska, only to hang on against both opponents. GoldanDBlack express • volume 23, express 19 • 1