MATT PAINTER

It’s become a disturbing pattern in March for Purdue.

Zach Edey had 17 points and 19 rebounds as No. 5 Purdue outlasted Wisconsin 63-61.

No. 5 Purdue big man Zach Edey has muscled his way into the national player of the year conversation.

Purdue remains atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll despite losing its second game of the season.

Zach Edey had 24 points and 16 rebounds to help No. 3 Purdue fend off Maryland's second-half charge and get a 58-55 victory.

Purdue remained atop The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for a third straight week.

Trey Kaufman-Renn scored a season-best 24 to lead No. 1 Purdue past New Orleans 74-53 on Wednesday night.

Houston is the No. 1 team in the AP men's college basketball poll.

The Sweet 16 at the East region features one game between UCLA and North Carolina and another between Purdue and underdog Saint Peter’s.

Last season’s NCAA Tournament ultimately unfolded in familiar fashion.

Tyson Walker made a tiebreaking 3-pointer with 3 seconds left, lifting Michigan State to a 68-65 win over No. 4 Purdue.

Rob Phinisee scored a season-high 17 points in the first half and then made the decisive 3-pointer with 16.5 seconds left to send Indiana past No. 4 Purdue 68-65.

Purdue is No. 1 in The Associated Press men’s college basketball poll for the first time.

Jaden Ivey scored 19 points, Trevion Williams had 13 points and 18 rebounds, and No. 2 Purdue held off a late Iowa rally to win 77-70 in the Big Ten opener for both teams.

Sasha Stefanovic made 5 of 6 3-pointers and finished with 23 points to lead No. 7 Purdue past Bellarmine 96-67.

– Michigan coach Juwan Howard put the emphasis on defense from the first time his entire team practiced this season. On a night Isaiah Livers matched his season high with 22 points and Eli Brooks added 11, the seventh-ranked Wolverines used a staunch defense to pull away from Purdue 70-53. Purdue: While the Boilermakers had been the Big Ten's hottest team, they sputtered without Stefanovic. POLL IMPLICATIONSWith wins over Maryland and at Purdue this week, the Wolverines won't go anywhere but up in the Top 25. Purdue: Williams has 12 straight double-doubles.

Ohio State forward Kyle Young (25) shoots over Purdue forward Trevion Williams (50) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in West Lafayette, Ind., Wednesday, Dec. 16, 2020. The junior forward had 16 points, nine rebounds and a career-high eight assists to lead Purdue past No. '”Hunter played well, too, scoring a season-high 15 points as Purdue (5-2, 1-0) won for the fourth time in five games. After his 30-point, 11-rebound game Saturday against Indiana State, Williams was impressive again Wednesday. Ohio State and Purdue finally got to square off — 279 days after their previous matchup was canceled.

FILE - In this March 12, 2020, file photo, the seating area at Bankers Life Fieldhouse is viewed in Indianapolis after the Big Ten Conference announced that remainder of the men's NCAA college basketball games tournament was canceled. Indianapolis city leaders want the college basketball world to know it is open for business. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy, File)INDIANAPOLIS – With the coronavirus pandemic already forcing changes for college basketball, a bubble may be brewing in Indianapolis. Indiana Sports Corp. released a 16-page proposal Friday that calls for turning the city convention center's exhibition halls and meeting rooms into basketball courts and locker rooms. ___For more AP college basketball coverage: https://apnews.com/Collegebasketball and http://twitter.com/AP_Top25

“Probably the worst beating I’ve taken as a coach,” Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. But Purdue bottled up Michigan State at every turn and eventually the Spartans buckled. Michigan State never recovered despite trimming the deficit to 37-20 at halftime and 39-27 early in the second half. The real danger is it could become a guide for how other opponents can beat Michigan State. Purdue: The Boilermakers' usually strong defense might have been at its best against the Spartans.

(AP Photo/Michael Conroy)WEST LAFAYETTE, IN – Purdue coach Matt Painter packed his lineup with more scoring punch Wednesday night. 5 Virginia with a 69-40 rout in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Purdue: The Boilermakers appear to be hitting their stride just in time for the start of conference play. ... Virginia had won seven straight road games dating to last season and their previous five in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge. Purdue: The Boilermakers had lost five straight at Mackey Arena against top-five teams from other conferences.