Preseason favorites are 0-2 in league games, might not have Hummel vs. co-leader Badgers
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue has the most Big Ten basketball championships with 21 and opened the year as the favorite to win the league.Two losses and two injuries have put the chance for a 22nd title in jeopardy — especially from a historical perspective — and put a premium on today’s game against Wisconsin.The 14th-ranked Boilermakers (11-4) are 0-2 in conference play while the Badgers (12-3) are tied atop the league with Michigan State at 3-0.“This is huge for us,” junior guard Chris Kramer said. “Nobody wants to start 0-2 in the league, but we did. Our backs are against the wall. This is a must win.”We have to come out with a sense of urgency in practice and play every day like it’s a game.“Of Purdue’s 21 Big Ten titles, only three came when the Boilers had losing streaks of more than two games: 1910-11, 1920-21 and 1983-84.The Big Ten regular season, now 18 games, has been at least 14 games beginning with the 1950-51 season, and Purdue has won the league eight times since then. In six of those championship seasons, the Boilers did not lose consecutive conference games. In the other two, Purdue never lost more than two Big Ten games in a row.A loss today would be three in a row in the league and two at home, where the Boilers were 9-0 in league play last year, including a 60-56 upset of then-No. 11 Wisconsin in late January. Purdue also won 72-67 at Wisconsin for the Badgers’ only two league losses last season.”We’ve still got a long way to go," said sophomore guard E’Twaun Moore, Purdue’s leading scorer. “We have to go out and play every game and string together some victories. We definitely have a shot.”It definitely makes us aware nothing is going to be given to us, that we have to go get it.“Today’s 1:30 p.m. game at Mackey Arena is also important because it’s a national telecast on CBS. How many of the Boilers a TV audience will see remains in question.Kramer, the Big Ten preseason Defensive Player of the Year, and Hummel, the league’s preseason Player of the Year, both missed Purdue’s 67-64 loss Tuesday at Penn State. Kramer was bothered by a left foot injury, while Hummel has a sore back.Kramer said Thursday he would play. Hummel wasn’t as certain.”I want to be back out there as soon as possible, but if I re-injure myself and can’t play for another three weeks, that doesn’t make a lot of sense," he said.Without Hummel, the Big Ten’s second-leading rebounder, Purdue had a season-low 27 rebounds and allowed Penn State 22 offensive rebounds.“Our team is pretty tough psychologically,” Hummel said. “I don’t think anybody is too down. Obviously, we’re not happy, but I don’t think anyone is devastated like we can’t win this thing anymore.”If we run off 16 games in a row, we’ll be in really good shape. The season is not over. No one is panicking."