Hoosier State of Mind
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Indiana Basketball: 5 must-win games for the Hoosiers

By Adam Childs

BLOOMINGTON, IN - FEBRUARY 11: Indiana Hoosiers fans celebrate in the second half of the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Assembly Hall on February 11, 2016 in Bloomington, Indiana. Indiana defeated Iowa 85-78. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN - FEBRUARY 11: Indiana Hoosiers fans celebrate in the second half of the game against the Iowa Hawkeyes at Assembly Hall on February 11, 2016 in Bloomington, Indiana. Indiana defeated Iowa 85-78. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – FEBRUARY 19: De’Ron Davis #20 of the Indiana Hoosiers shoots the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers at Assembly Hall on February 19, 2019 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, INDIANA – FEBRUARY 19: De’Ron Davis #20 of the Indiana Hoosiers shoots the ball against the Purdue Boilermakers at Assembly Hall on February 19, 2019 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

vs Purdue – February 8th

Any game against the hated rivals is important but this one is one they have to get this year. It will be the first of their two meetings and it’s in Bloomington. Indiana has lost five straight to the Boilermakers and eight of the last nine and they need that streak to end.

Besides the obvious fact of beating your rival, there are many reasons this is a must-win game. The Hoosiers are a fringe tournament team and they need to pick up quality wins. Beating Purdue would definitely qualify as one of those. Purdue looks to be one of the better teams in the Big Ten this year and if the Hoosiers want to be taken serously they need to pick up some big wins and again this would be one of them.

This is also one of those momentum games. Win this at home and it could carry through to other games. It’s also the last game of a rough five-game stretch for the Hoosiers.

light. Related Story. Five most important Big Ten games

The other big reason this game is important is to try and turn the state of Indiana back to the Hoosiers. Purdue has dominated the state lately and if the Hoosiers want to turn that narrative they have to win at home. This is also big when it comes to recruits. Yes, the Indiana brand will bring in players, but continually losing to an in-state rival hurts recruiting.

It won’t kill Indiana if they lose to the Boilermakers but this is a game that can turn a season.

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