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GoldanDBlack express • volume 24, express 23 • 7 BY BRIAN NEUBERT BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com W ell, Purdue's playing better, competing well against two ranked (at least for the time being) teams in its last two outings. But the outcomes haven't changed. Purdue dropped a "heart- breaking" overtime decision to Michigan, then faded in the sec- ond half at Iowa. The result has Purdue just barely keeping its head above wa- ter at 15-14 heading to Wisconsin, the Boilermakers' second-to-last regular-season game. S A.J. Hammons didn't turn the ball over against Iowa, but several of Purdue's giveaways came on post entries. Between the center's turnover issues this season and those that have been committed getting him the ball down low, Purdue's investment in playing through the interior has come at a significant cost. But at Iowa, Hammons didn't need many touches within Pur- due's offensive framework to be productive, working the offen- sive boards and making his free throws in scoring 16 points. W h e n he's produc- tive without the turn- overs and occa- sional offensive pa- ralysis that have come with Purdue locking in on getting the ball inside as Priority No. 1, that's really valuable. S It's great for Purdue that sophomore Rapheal Davis is playing the way he is right now, but had he found what- ever is working for him now earlier this season, it might have swung more than a couple games Purdue's way. S Purdue has incon- sistent individuals, Ham- mons and others among them. But point guard is the one spot where such insta- bility is really difficult for the Boilermakers to overcome, as was very clear against Iowa. In the last three games, Ron- nie Johnson and Bryson Scott have combined to commit 21 turnovers. That's staggering. S It's March and Purdue's youth seems to be showing up as much now as it has at any other point this season. Kendall Stephens is playing very well and didn't miss that free throw against Michigan be- cause he's a freshman, but Scott has really struggled with decision-making and turnovers in impor- tant second-half junc- tures two games in a row and Basil Smoth- erman has blended in lately, not impacting games with the same energy he did earlier in the season. j Flash Forward Opponent: Wisconsin Location: Kohl Center (Madison, Wis.) When: 9 p.m. Wednesday Notables: The Badgers (24-5 overall, 11-5 in the Big Ten) are red-hot, winners of seven in a row and in contention, some be- lieve, for a No. 1 seed to the NCAA Tournament. … Wisconsin won in Mackey Arena 72-58 a little more than a month ago behind 16 points from center Frank Kaminsky and 15 apiece from forward Sam Dekker and guard Traevon Jackson. … Wisconsin's averaging 71.9 points in Big Ten play, second to only Iowa. … The Badgers turn the ball over less than eight times per game, the least of any team in the league. … Wisconsin's boasted a tremendously bal- anced offense with Dekker, Ben Brust and Kaminsky all averaging between 12 and 13 points per game and Jackson coming off the bench for 10.7. … Josh Gasser shoots 50 percent from three and 89 percent from the line, leading the Big Ten in both categories . … Wisconsin shoots 76.4 percent at the line collectively. Iowa A.J. Hammons had one of his best days at Purdue with his 16-point, 14-rebound, four-block effort at Iowa. m e n ' s b a s k e t b a l l g o l d b o x e s l i n k t o g a m e s t o r i e s A Look BAck At tHe LAst week of BAsketBALL