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Boilermakers fight for Big Ten lead

It’s still a little too early to worry about the Big Ten title race for Matt Painter. The Boilers travel to Michigan State tonight for a game in which a win would tie the teams for first place in the league. Just one week ago it appeared Purdue was firmly out of the title chase, with the Spartans holding an undefeated record and three-game lead, but back-to-back losses have allowed the gap to close.

“A lot of people talk about it, and I think at times that can affect your mindset,” Painter said. “Worry about things you can control, and not really the prize.

“We’ve put ourselves in a good position because we’ve been able to win five straight games, but now to continue that, we’ve got some tough matchups coming up on our schedule. Not to say we didn’t have tough matchups before because every game in the Big Ten is difficult. We just need to keep our focus and worry about ourselves. The team we’re getting ready to play is one of the best teams in the country.”