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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 22 • 1 BY BRIAN NEUBERT BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com M aybe the trials of the past two-plus seasons have led to a light at the end of the tunnel for Purdue basketball. After back-to-back poor seasons, including a last-place finish in the Big Ten a year ago, the Boil- ermakers have now won seven of their last eight and are barreling toward the NCAA Tournament, their most recent win being their biggest. As if Purdue needed more reason to relish its 67-63 win in Indiana's Assembly Hall Thursday, it gave it its first quality road win, another step dur- ing a season that took a 180-degree turn some- time around the last week of January. "We're growing up," guard Jon Octeus said. Purdue led at IU by eight with less than seven- and-a-half minutes left. But Indiana rallied to take its only lead of the second half with just 1:45 left, a slippery-slope mo- ment if there ever was one. And Octeus had fouled out. From that point on, however, Purdue made every play it needed, taking the lead back and holding on in the final seconds to finish off a two-game regular-season sweep of its rival. Purdue's reversed its fortunes this season, relying so much on players who've known mostly losing during their college experience so far. Juniors A.J. Hammons and Rapheal Davis, along with Octeus, have been the driving forces behind the resurgence that has Purdue positioned right now for a double-bye in the Big Ten Tournament. Hammons' 20-point game at IU was his latest entry to a body of work that might put him in line for first-team All-Big Ten and Big Ten Defensive Player-of-the-Year honors. "I'm happy for A.J.," Coach Matt Painter said. "A.J. got a lot of the blame for some of our shortcomings (in recent seasons) and he's proven he's part of the solution right now. Good for him. He's been able to grow as a person and able to grow as a player." He's done it alongside his classmate. Davis has been Purdue's face, the team's clear-cut leader, a valuable offensive player and an even more valuable defen - sive player. Tom Campbell After a last-place finish in the Big Ten a season ago, Purdue has proven it belongs in the hunt for the league this season, Coach Matt Painter said. 8 Big Ten teams slotted for NCAA Tour- nament by ESPN's Joe Lunardi, the most of any conference. Purdue was a No. 11 seed as of Tuesday. .287 Boilermakers' shooting percentage in Big Ten play from three-point land, second-lowest in the league and the lowest ever by the Purdue team in league play. 3-2 Matt Painter's record in the last five games in IU's Assembly Hall, the best stretch since Gene Keady had the same success from 1995-99. +17 Purdue's rebounding advan- tage over IU in last week's win, the best performance in 59 years. THE NUMBERS VOLUME 25, EX 22 • FEB. 24, 2015 Inside | Purdue beats IU, looks ahead 6-11 Seniors set for finale 16–17 | Recruiting 22-23 Hazell adds assistant; more notes 24-26 All Grown Up