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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 18 • 7 BY BRIAN NEUBERT BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com S even games into the Big Ten sea- son, Purdue remains above .500 in the league by virtue of its 67-63 win over No. 25 Iowa, but must look back at the game prior with regret. The Boilermakers had count- less opportunities at Illinois Wednesday night, but squandered all of them in letting slip away a game they controlled for a good portion of the first half. Rebounding has taken an in- explicable step backward for the Boilermakers the past two games, a central theme in the 66-57 loss to the Fighting Illini. Here are takeaways from the week. S Purdue split the week and could be sitting in a much worse po- sition than it is, but there are some really ugly trends unfolding, starting with rebounding, where a strength has suddenly become a weakness, for no apparent reason. For the Boilermakers, that's not OK. As rebounding has swooned, Purdue's transition defense has been better, but there is no apparent tie there. The Boilermakers seem to be committing all the same resources to the glass as they have all along. They're just not getting the ball. Effort seems like part of it, but also, there are situations where supe- rior quickness and athleticism is sim- ply beating Purdue's size to the glass. S The Boilermakers will have an opportunity to show improve- ment on the glass against Indiana, which starts at 6-foot-6 stretch-4 at center. But the game is going to be a real problem from an offen- sive matchups perspective because IU will spread the floor with five shooters and use the Boilermakers' size against it. Purdue should abuse Indiana on the interior on offense, but turnovers in the halfcourt will put IU in transition, so Purdue has less margin for error. S Purdue is going to remain severely limited offensively if its three-point shooting doesn't turn on a dime. Dakota Mathias, Vince Edwards and P.J. Thompson aren't making threes right now, and Kendall Ste - phens has an injured pinkie on his non-shooting hand. When Purdue goes 9-of-41 like it did last week from long range, it becomes much easier to defend. Right now, Rapheal Davis is carrying them in this phase — he's made 5-of-9 threes in the last two games — but is it sustainable for him or just a fleeting hot hand? j FLASH FORWARD Opponent: Indiana Location: Mackey Arena When: 9 p.m. Wednesday Notables: No. 22 Indiana saw its four-game winning streak snapped on Sunday in a 82-70 loss at Ohio State. … IU is one of the highest-scor- ing teams in college basketball, averaging 81 points per game on the back of its 41-percent three-point shooting. … Freshman James Black- mon is averaging 16.5 points and shooting 42 percent from three. … Point guard Yogi Ferrell is averaging 16 points and shooting 44 percent from three … Collin Hartman, a 6-foot-6 forward starting at center due to injuries, is shooting 54 percent from three and was 4-of-5 at Ohio State. He gives IU the ability to put five shooters on the floor together. … Forward Troy Williams might be the most improved player in the Big Ten. … IU has no size to speak of and has not been a particularly effec- tive defensive team. Ohio State shot 62 percent against the Hoosiers. But Indiana has been able to simply oustcore opponents regularly. A LOOK BACK AT THE LAST WEEK OF BASKETBALL 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 Tom Campbell Raphael Davis' career-best 24 points against Iowa helped the Boilermakers snap a 13-game los- ing streak against ranked opponents.