It was a game against the Wolverines in February that showcased Purdue's defense fading. It's gone further adrift rather than shoring it up like the Boilers had shown.

Thursday's game: 6 seed Purdue (21-10) vs. 11 seed Rutgers (15-16) or 14 seed USC (14-16), approx. 9 p.m., BTN; The Boilermakers addressed some of their vulnerabilities in the fin

The Wolverines surged in the second half to beat Purdue and return to the Big Ten semifinals first time since 2021.