Overview
- Tip is set for 11 a.m. CT at Mackey Arena on CBS with streaming on Paramount+.
- Both teams are 8-0, with Purdue owning wins at then-No. 8 Alabama and over then-No. 15 Texas Tech, while Iowa State recently scored 132 points with 22 threes against Alcorn State.
- Purdue brings a KenPom No. 1 offense steered by senior guard Braden Smith, and Iowa State counters with elite shooting and the nation’s top turnover-forcing defense.
- Matchups to watch include Smith versus Lipsey if he plays, Joshua Jefferson against Trey Kaufman-Renn, and a pivotal battle at center between Purdue’s Oscar Cluff and Iowa State’s Blake Buchanan.
- Previews and model picks lean to Purdue by roughly 4–6 points, citing home-court advantage and balanced scoring depth.