Spartan men's basketball tipoff: No. 14 MSU vs. No. 3 Purdue

• When: 4 p.m. today

• Where: Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind.

• TV/radio: CBS/Spartan Sports Network radio, including WJIM 1240-AM and WMMQ 94.9-FM

• Records: MSU is 21-7 overall, 11-4 in the Big Ten; Purdue is 24-3, 12-3.

• Series: Purdue leads 62-44.

• Coaches: MSU - Tom Izzo is 357-144 in his 15th season, all with the Spartans. Purdue - Matt Painter is 132-58 in his sixth season overall, and 107-53 in his fifth with the Boilermakers.

• MSU update: The Spartans will probably have to go small a lot today to counter Purdue, which has 6-8 freshman Patrick Bade available to fill in for Robbie Hummel, but which will probably go with four guards and Johnson for most of the day. Minnesota used a zone to take away Johnson in Wednesday's near upset of the Boilers, and the zone worked much better with Hummel off the floor. But the Spartans don't play zone, so it'll be mostly up to Chris Allen to limit E'Twaun Moore, who is having a first team All-Big Ten season. And Delvon Roe and Draymond Green will mostly deal with Johnson. "You just have to take it at him, don't let him kill you on the offensive end and not go back at him and let him relax on the defensive end," said Green, who suffered a 1 of 13 nightmare in the teams' first meeting. Allen led MSU with 21 points in that game, while Kalin Lucas played valiantly despite hobbling on his sprained right ankle. That ankle is much healthier today. Durrell Summers was benched for the second half of the first game. If MSU can control the boards, run some and handle Purdue's pressure to get the ball inside, the Spartans should win. Easier said than done.

• Purdue update: The season-ending knee injury to star forward Robbie Hummel might cost Purdue a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, and it probably means the Boilermakers don't have quite enough to reach the Final Four. This team remains gutty, as seen in Wednesday's comeback victory at Minnesota. The Gophers dominated the game after Hummel left, yet Purdue found a way. Keaton Grant, who has been struggling much of his senior season, hit two huge shots to lift Purdue to the victory. Another one today means Painter's team will be in great shape to win the Big Ten outright. Purdue's last Big Ten title came in 1996. Painter indicated Friday that he'll probably go smaller without Hummel, especially with Grant on a roll and Lewis Jackson rounding into form after missing part of the season with a foot injury. Purdue beat MSU on the boards in the first meeting, but that will be harder without Hummel. Painter's motion offense will not change, but Hummel was a guy who made a lot of hustle plays, delivered key shots, passes and rebounds, and his overall impact will be missed. Painter still thinks this special season can stay on course, today and beyond. "For us, it's the ultimate challenge," he said. "A lot of people will dwell on what you lose. But you have to be consumed with what you have. And I love what we have."

• Prediction: No Hummel means a chance for MSU. But Purdue still has Moore, JaJuan Johnson, a swarming defense, the crowd and the championship chemistry that MSU covets. That adds up to a Boilermakers victory.

• Make it: Purdue 67, MSU 60

--Joe Rexrode