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Hammer and Rails

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Illinois 88, Purdue 82: Postgame Video

It was the Keaton Wegler show in Mackey Arena. This is one that stings because Purdue’s defense was completely out of sorts, but the Boilers were still in control up 4 at the final media timeout. For the second straight game an individual player completely disrupted anything Purdue tried to do defensveily and he either […]

Purdue Basketball: Illinois Preview

2025-2026 Season Overall Record: 16-3 Big 10 Record: 7-1 Previous 3 Games 1/21: W – 89 – 70 vs Maryland @ Home 1/17: W – 77 – 67 vs Minnesota @ Home 1/14: W – 79 – 68 vs Northwestern @ Away Illinois Personnel Starters Bench Key Analytics (Per KenPom.com – National Rank in ()) KenPom Ranking – 42 Offense Adjusted […]

Game Preview: #11 Illinois at #4 Purdue

The two best offenses in the country will battle it out in Mackey Arena on a frigid Saturday afternoon when the #4 Purdue 17-2 (7-1) play host to #11 Illinois 16-3 (7-1). Both teams come into this game hobbling from a loss. For Purdue, it’s a simple matter of scoreboard. After struggling against USC last […]

Purdue Sports Video – January 23

It is a very chilly Friday afternoon and a snowstorm is headed towards West Lafayette, but that doesn’t mean Hammer & Rails is without some HAWT PRESS CONFERENCE action today across multiple sports. Naturally, football news is on the backburner witht he season being long over. Indiana’s recent national championship (words that I honestly never […]

By the Numbers: Purdue 67 UCLA 69

The Boilers suffered just their second loss of the season with a 67-69 loss to the UCLA Bruins on the second game of their west coast trip this season following defeating USC. Purdue struggled against a very average UCLA team on both ends of the court, a trend that has followed them for the past […]

Purdue Readers React Survey – How Many Big Ten Teams Will Make March Madness?

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Purdue fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. Just one question this week and it’s a more general question about the Big Ten basketball […]

Non-Conference Opponents’ Update: January 21

It seems like there is a lot of competition this season for a No. 1 seed not just across the country, but within the Big Ten itself. There are currently four teams in the top 10 nationally from the Big Ten, and Illinois is just outside at No. 11. Whoever wins the league is almost […]

UCLA 69, Purdue 67: California Nightmare

CJ Cox’s last second three hit the front of the rim, and bounced harmlessly away as Purdue falls for the first time in the Big Ten, 69-67 to the UCLA Bruins. Behind a 23 point Donovan Dent performance, the Bruins were able to knock off the #4 Purdue Boilermakers. It is just Purdue’s second loss […]

Purdue Basketball: UCLA Preview – Stats, Analytics, Analysis

2025-2026 Season Overall Record: 12-6 Big 10 Record: 4-3 Previous 3 Games 1/17: L – 74 – 86 vs Ohio State @ Away 1/14: W – 71 – 60 vs Penn State @ Away 1/10: W – 67 – 55 vs Maryland @ Home UCLA Personnel Starters Bench Note Skyy Clark pulled his hamstring against Iowa and has missed the last […]

Trey Kaufman-Renn and the Delaney Dozen

The Big Ten has gone through a lot of changes in the last 15 years. It has gone from the Big Tenleven, to 12 Big 12 Ten (including a really confusing time where the Big Ten had 12 teams and the Big 12 had 10 teams), to the Bigger Ten, and now to the B1GGEST […]

Game Preview – #4 Purdue at UCLA

Purdue’s trip out west did not start out on a pretty foot. Purdue played poorly, saw its star point guard go down early, and though Braden Smith would return to the court and Purdue would record its 9th straight win when it hung on 69-64 against USC. Now Purdue hopes to have a healthy Smith […]

Purdue 69, USC 64: Sheer Guts on the Road

Purdue had a stretch of nearly 8 minutes where it did not score in the first half. It had another stretch of nearly 5 minutes in the second half. It was 1 of 14 from the floor for a stretch. It trailed by 14 early and looked like a blowout could happen. Boilers win. Folks, […]

Purdue Basketball: USC Preview – Stats, Analytics, Analysis

2025-2026 Season Overall Record: 14-3 Big 10 Record: 3-3 Previous 3 Games 1/13: W – 88-71 vs Maryland @ Home 1/9: W – 70 – 69 (OT) vs Minnesota @ Away 1/2: L – 51 – 80 vs Michigan State @ Away USC Personnel Starters Bench Key Analytics (Per KenPom.com – National Rank in ()) KenPom Ranking – 51 Offense Adjusted […]

Purdue Fans React Survey Results: Men’s Basketball Heads West

We’ve made it to the end of another week and that means it’s time to get some results from our weekly survey. We went with one basketball and one football this week. So let’s not waste any time, let’s just get right into these results. An overwhelming 66% of all respondents think that Purdue moving […]

Game Preview: #5 Purdue at USC

The #5 Purdue Boilermakers will hop on the plane and head out to sunny Los Angeles this weekend to take on the LA schools. Despite us still trying to wrap our heads around USC and UCLA being Big Ten teams, Purdue will take on USC this Saturday at 6:00 PM ET in the Galen Center. […]