Indiana University Men’s Basketball Hosts #12 Purdue in a Late-Night Battle The Indiana Hoosiers and #12 Purdue Boilermakers will battle this evening in Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall at 9 PM with the game streaming on Peacock. The game is a stripe out for Indiana Fans with sections alternating which color their section is supposed to wear Crimson or Cream. Indiana is coming off a wire-to-wire win on Friday Night at Rutgers 82-59 to snap a four-game losing streak. The Hoosiers scored 72 of their 82 points from Lamar Wilkerson, Tucker DeVries and Nick Dorn against the Scarlet Knights to win at Jersey Mike’s Arena for the first time since February 5, 2018. The trio scored 43 of the 47 first half points making 50% from the field and 8-20 from three-point range. In the second half the Hoosiers led by double digits and finished 15-35 from beyond the arc. Lamar Wilkerson led the Hoosiers with 27 points including 5 triples. Nick Dorn had 23 points, and six three pointers and Tucker DeVries added 22 points and nailed four triples. DeVries pulled down 10 rebounds and added six assists and Sam Alexis pulled down 10 rebounds as Indiana attacked the glass dominating Rutgers 40-27.
Indiana is 13-7 overall and 3-5 in the Big Ten. Lamar Wilkerson leads Indiana with 19.4 points per game. Tucker DeVries is averaging 14.6 points and leads the Hoosiers with 5 rebounds per game. Tayton Conerway averages 11.2 points per game and leads the Hoosiers with 1.4 steals per game. Conerway has been limited the last two games with an ankle injury and did not start against Rutgers for the first time all season and Nick Dorn who started in his place took advantage with the best game in his Hoosier Career. Conor Enright leads the Hoosiers with 4.1 assists as the Senior has 82 assists and 22 turnovers on the season. Sam Alexis leads Indiana with 23 blocks on the season at 1.1 per game. The Hoosiers average 81.2 points, 17.3 assists and 10.5 turnovers per game. Indiana shoots 47% from the field, 35% from three-point range and 78% from the free throw line.
Purdue is 17-3 overall and 7-2 in the Big Ten. The Boilermakers have dropped their last two games 69-67 at UCLA a week ago and 88-82 Saturday afternoon at Home to Illinois. The Boilermakers other loss came on December 6, at Home to Iowa State 81-58. There is. I question that Head Coach Matt Painter and Boilermakers will not be in a good mood and do not want to lose a third straight conference game and especially against their archrivals. Braden Smith leads Purdue with 15.2 points, 9.2 assists and 1.9 steals per game. Fletcher Loyer adds 12.7 points. Trey Kaufman-Renn adds 12.5 points and a team leading 8.5 rebounds per game. Oscar Kluff averages 11.8 points and 7.8 rebounds per game. Daniel Jacobson leads Purdue with 1.8 blocks per game with 35 rejections on the season. Purdue is averaging 84 points, 20.5 assists and 9.3 turnovers per game. Purdue shoots 51% from the field, 38% from three-point range and 75% form the free throw line. The Boilermakers have a 16-player roster that has Six Seniors, Two Juniors, Four Sophomores and Four Freshman on the Roster.
Purdue has Seven Indiana Natives on his roster. Braden Smith-Westfield, Trey Kaufman-Renn-Silver Creek, Fletcher Loyer-Homestead, Jack Benter-Brownstown Central, Aaron Fine-Noblesville, Sam King-Columbus North and Jayce Rayl-Kokomo. Indiana has three Hoosiers on its roster with Trent Sisley who played at Heritage Hills before heading to Montverde Academy in Florida for his final season. Walk-Ons Ian Stephens-New Palestine and Drew Snivley-Zionsville that make up the ten Indiana natives who know more than anyone what this rivalry means growing up in the Hoosier State.
The Purdue Coaching Staff has six Indiana Natives who not only grew up in the Hoosier State but played their College Basketball in West Lafayette. Head Coach-Matt Painter played at Delta HS in Muncie. Assistant Coach Brandon Brantley grew up in Gary and played at Andrean HS. Assistant Coach P.J. Thompson-Brebeuf Jesuit HS and Sasha Stefanovic-Crown Point HS. Men’s Basketball Graduate Assistants-Carson Barrett-Lafayette Central Catholic and Isaiah Thompson-Zionsville HS have all been a part of his historic rivalry as players but coaches. Elliott Bloom who is the Director of Basketball Administration and Operations graduated from Purdue in 1999. Nick Terruso who is from Plymouth, Indiana and holds three degrees from Purdue is the Director of Video Services and they know the importance and meaning of this game. Indiana Assistant Coach Drew Adams was born in Bloomington and Graduated from Bloomington High School South. Assistant Coach Kenny Johnson was on staff for Tom Crean from 2012-14 and returns to Bloomington under first year Head Coach Darian DeVries. Graduate Manager Jackson Creel was a walk for the Hoosiers from 2023-25. Fellow Graduate Manager Shanquan Hemphill grew up in Michigan City Indiana and graduated from Michigan City HS.
This will be the 222nd all-time meeting between these two in state rivals as Boilermakers leads the all-time series 128-93. Indiana has won three of the last four meetings against Purdue in Bloomington which includes a 73-58 victory on February 23, 2025. Indiana is 17-9 in Bloomington against Purdue in Bloomington when the Boilermakers as the Hoosiers have won three of the last four meetings in Bloomington against a ranked Purdue team. Indiana is 66-44 all-time in Bloomington against Purdue. This is a big game and no doubt it is going to an electric atmosphere as it always is every time these two get together no matter in what sport they play. Purdue is wanting to get the bad taste out of their mouth losing two in a row. Indiana had a good game against Rutgers and got a win that they needed. Most of the Indiana Players will get their first taste of this rivalry tonight but from the moment they arrived in Bloomington they know that one of the top priorities is to knock off their in state rivals and they will have two chances to two that when the rematch comes on February 20th at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette but for the Hoosiers first things first and protect home court.
Omar Cooper Jr. Declares for the NFL Draft After four seasons in Bloomington, redshirt junior wideout Omar Cooper, Jr. is headed to the NFL. Cooper, Jr. made it official on his Instagram account Monday morning. Cooper, Jr. committed to former Indiana coach Tom Allen as a 4-star class of 2022 prospect out of Lawrence North H.S. in Indianapolis. In four seasons with IU, he caught 115 passes for 1,798 yards and 22 touchdowns. He had one season of eligibility remaining. Cooper, Jr. improved each season in Bloomington. After redshirting as a freshman, he came back in 2023 and caught 18 passes for 267 yards and two scores.
In 2024 after Curt Cignetti took over as head coach, Cooper, Jr. caught 28 balls for 594 yards and seven scores. And during Indiana’s 16-0 run to the national title, Cooper, Jr. had his most productive year, catching 69 passes for 937 yards and 13 touchdowns. His dramatic game-winning top-tap touchdown at Penn State helped set the stage for Indiana to secure the No. 1 overall seed in the College Football Playoff. He led IU in receptions, receiving yards, and yards after catch this season. He also ran five times for 97 yards and two scores over the last two seasons. The 6-foot and 204-pound Cooper, Jr. moved inside to the slot position as his primary role this season. That’s his likely role at the next level.
IU will now have to replace Cooper, Jr., Elijah Sarratt and E.J. Williams from the 2025 team three of their top four receivers this season in terms of yards. The Hoosiers do return Charlie Becker, Tyler Morris, Davion Chandler, Lebron Bond, and Myles Kendrick as receivers from the 2025 squad, and they’re adding transfers Nick Marsh (Michigan State) and Shazz Preston (Tulane). Morris transferred to IU from Michigan a year ago, but missed the 2025 season due to injury. He was back practicing with the team during the College Football Playoff.
Indiana University Wrestling adds Freshman Marlo Clark Indiana Wrestling head coach Angel Escobedo has announced the singing of Marlo Clark. Clark is a freshman and has joined the team on campus in Bloomington. Marlo Clark | 133 lbs. | Orlando, Fla.- Why IU: “Trust the magic of new beginnings.” Wrestled for Lake Highland Preparatory School. High school coach was Mike Palazzo. Wrestled club for Spartan RTC. Hit 100 career victories in high school. Two-time state placer. National Prep All-American, earning 7th place at 120 lbs. Part of National Prep Wrestling Championship team title in 2025. Intends to major in Intelligent Systems Engineering. Parents are Marlo and Miriam Clark. Siblings are Micah, Mikaiah and Nia.
Former Indianapolis Colts Quarterback Phillip Rivers Withdraws his Name from Consideration for the Buffalo Bills Head Coaching job Philip Rivers’ NFL coaching career will have to wait. The long-time veteran quarterback, who’s still under contract with the Indianapolis Colts, has withdrawn his name from consideration for the Buffalo Bills’ vacant head coaching position, according to The Athletic. The team announced it had interviewed Rivers, 44, on Friday. His decision apparently was based on focusing on his role as head coach at St. Michael Catholic School in Fairhope, Ala., a position he’s held since 2021. Rivers’ oldest son Gunner will be the senior quarterback at St. Michael’s next season and is considered a four-star recruit for 2027. St. Michael has reached the state semifinals the past two seasons. Rivers has played in 18 NFL seasons but has no coaching experience at the pro or college level.
A day after the Colts closed last season with 38-30 loss at Houston and an 8-9 record, Rivers expressed confidence he coaches handle NFL coaching responsibilities but also mentioned Gunner’s prep career. “I do think as humbly as I can say it, that I could coach at this level,’’ he said. “I know enough about the game and about guys, and from a leadership standpoint, camaraderie, all that comes with it.’’ Rivers added, “Gunner’s senior season coming up, and we’ve been back-to-back semifinals, and hopefully we can get over the hump this year. So, I don’t have any of those things on my radar, but certainly it’s nothing that I would shut down before it even became a possibility.’’
Indiana Fever Announce the 2026 Pre Season Schedule The Indiana Fever are set to play two preseason games against WNBA opponents, first at Barclays Center against the New York Liberty on April 25, followed by a return to Gainbridge Fieldhouse to host the Dallas Wings on April 30. Select tickets for the April 30 preseason game, a preview of the Fever’s 2026 season opener, are available for purchase now at feverbasketball.com/tickets. Fans can also join the Priority Waitlist (here) to receive information on season, group and additional single-game ticket opportunities as they become available. The Fever’s complete 2026 regular season schedule can be found at the link here.
2026 Indiana Fever Preseason Schedule:
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) |
| Sat., April 25 | New York Liberty | Barclays Center | 3 p.m. |
| Thur., April 30 | Dallas Wings | Gainbridge Fieldhouse | 7 p.m. |
The Oscar Mayer Wienie 500 Returns to Indianapolis Motor Speedway in May The Oscar Mayer Wienie 500 is making a sizzling return in 2026. Oscar Mayer announced on Sunday that the second annual Wienie 500 is set to take place at the Indianapolis International Speedway on May 22nd and will unofficially kick off the 110th Indianapolis 500. After fans watched as “Slaw Dog” won the inaugural 2025 race, Hoosiers are in for a treat in as this year’s race hopes to live up to last year’s. Each “dog” represents a different region of the country. Slaw Dog (Southeast) is hoping to defend its title along with Chi Dog (Midwest), New York Dog (East), Chili Dog (South) and Seattle Dog (Northwest). Following a disappointing performance, the Sonoran Dog is officially relegated due to not cutting the mustard, leaving a spot open for a new regional dog to enter the competition, according to Oscar Mayer.
“The response to the first Wienie 500 was overwhelming, and we heard the fans loud and clear that they were hungry for more,” said Kelsey Rice, Brand Communications Director at Oscar Mayer. “This year, we’re supercharging the experience, delivering an even bigger, bolder and more unforgettable event that puts the fans at the forefront. With amplified engagement, intensified rivalries and more surprises in store, we’re giving the people what they want – an unparalleled live experience that will leave them craving more.” Fans can expect to see their favorite things again, as custom Wienermobile decals, Hotdogger racing suits and the famed “Wiener Song” anthem return. The trophy presentation will see the victor at the “Wieners Circle” podium, where they will receive mustard spray and the Borg-Wiener trophy. To stay up to date on news about this year’s Wienie 500, follow along here. Keep up to date to find out who the sixth regional hot dog will be.
Taylor University’s Men’s Track and Field Star Josh Forbes Honored by Crossroads League After Pole Vault Win Josh Forbes was recognized on Monday by the Crossroads League, being named the CL Men’s Indoor Track and Field Athlete of the Week after his performance in the pole vault at the George Glass Invitational. Forbes dominated his lone event of the afternoon, clearing 4.85 meters to win the pole vault competition. Forbes topped a group of 17 competitors and automatically qualified for Nationals in the event with the NAIA’s second-best height of the young season. The award is the first of the year for the men’s track and field program and the third in the four-year career of Forbes. With the honor, Taylor Athletics has now secured 41 weekly league honors during the 2025-2026 year. Forbes and the Trojan are set to return to action on January 30 and 31 at the Midwest Classic at the Indiana State Fairgrounds.