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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 21 • 7 BY BRIAN NEUBERT BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com P urdue just keeps rolling, now winner of six of seven and firm- ly entrenched in both the NCAA Tournament picture and the race to finish second in the Big Ten to Wisconsin. The Boilermakers took down two of the league's least-potent of- fensive teams, winning 61-51 at Rutgers in a game that was more one-sided than the final score sug- gests, then topping Nebraska in Mackey Arena 66-54. Purdue is finding different ways to win. The Boilermakers were flawed offensively and got outrebounded by the Scarlet Knights, but smothered Rutgers and allowed no room for the home team to put forth much of a challenge until the game was already decided. Against the Cornhuskers, it was Purdue's dormant three-point shoot - ing coming alive — the Boilermakers made eight of them — and an 18-8 edge in offensive rebounding that helped dismiss any worries of a po- tential letdown on Purdue's home court. Following are takeaways from the week: S Both games could easily have been 20-plus-point wins. Rutgers got atypically hot — or competent by its standards — after it was down 20 and did nearly half its scoring in what amounted to garbage time. Against Nebraska, Purdue was just 18-of-30 at the foul line, contributing to keeping the game closer than it should have been in the first half. Turnovers remain an issue for the Boilermakers, a concern that will cost them a game again like it did at Min - nesota if they're not careful. S What happens if the Nebraska game turns to be Purdue's launching pad as a shooting team, the nudge that gets the ball rolling for Kendall Stephens and Dakota Mathias? That's kind of a scary thought con- sidering how well the Boilermakers have defended and the level of play A.J. Hammons has reached, and more importantly, sustained. S Vince Edwards is making a late push for his place on the Big Ten All- Freshman team. You have to figure he has a great chance, but he's essentially competing for one of just two spots considering that Ohio State's D'Angelo Russell, IU's James Blackmon Jr. and Maryland's Melo Trimble have spots locked down. It's the Jae'Sean Tates and Bryant McIntoshs of the league that Edwards must separate himself from these next few weeks. If Purdue closes strong, one thing you'll see is a return to the way things were a few years ago at Purdue: When the team wins, its players get their postseason honors. It's way premature to be talking about this, but Edwards was really good against Nebraska, so it came to mind. j Tom Campbell Freshman Dakota Mathias got it going from the perimeter vs. Nebraska. Purdue hopes it's a sign. FLASH FORWARD Opponent: Indiana Location: Assembly Hall When: 7 p.m. Thursday Notables: Purdue beat IU 83-67 in Mackey Arena Jan. 28, but can probably expect a very different game in Bloomington. … A.J. Hammons loomed large over the undersized Hoosiers in Round 1 with eight blocked shots. … Indiana made just 4-of-19 threes in Mackey, but is coming off a school-record-tying 18 makes in a rout of Minnesota Sunday. … Guard Bryson Scott was one of Purdue's most valuable players in the first meeting between these two teams, but has since fallen back out of Purdue's rotation. … IU scores the most points of any Big Ten team, but also allows the most. 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