GAME NOTES: The Purdue Boilermakers take aim at a couple of important marks, as they play host to the 11th-ranked Maryland Terrapins on Saturday afternoon.

Maryland has enjoyed a tremendous amount of success this season, going 14-2 overall, which includes a 2-1 ledger in this, it's first as a member of the Big Ten Conference. The Terps opened league play with wins over Michigan State (68-66, 2OT) and Minnesota (70-58), but came up short in their most recent outing at Illinois (64-57). The loss to the Illini snapped what had been a seven-game win streak for Maryland, which is 4-1 away from home (2-1 on the road, 2-0 at neutral sites).

Purdue dropped a 62-55 decision at No. 4 Wisconsin on Wednesday night, putting an end to the team's modest two-game win streak, both of which happened to be against Big Ten rivals Minnesota (72-68) and Michigan (64-51). The Boilermakers are 8-2 at home this season, and they will be trying to put an end to a 12-game losing streak against nationally-ranked opponents, while at the same time earning the 900th win all-time against teams currently in the Big Ten.

This bout marks the first meeting between these two schools in men's basketball.

Neither team shot the ball well, but Illinois scored 17 points at the free- throw line compared to 10 for Maryland, and that proved to be the difference in the game. The Terps made good on just 36.5 percent of their field goal attempts, while the Illini were successful on only 36.4 percent of their's. Melo Trimble led UM with 17 points, while Jake Layman added 10 of his own in the losing effort, which saw the visitors actually outscore their hosts in the paint (18-8) and in bench points (20-5).

Trimble (16.3 ppg), Layman (14.4 ppg) and Dez Wells (13.9 ppg) are the only three players averaging double figures for Maryland, which puts up 73 ppg while allowing just 61.4 ppg. The Terrapins are outshooting the opposition (.456 to .369), and they are holding the enemy to just 28 percent accuracy out on the perimeter. A +5.1 edge on the glass has certainly helped matters, with Layman spearheading the effort with 6.2 rpg, but the team is in the red when it comes to turnover differential (-1.4).

Purdue outshot Wisconsin earlier this week, .510 to .436, but the Badgers logged a massive 25-3 advantage in points from the foul line, which made all the difference in what wound up as a seven-point decision for the home team. The Boilermakers scored 38 points in the paint, and three players reached double digits, led by Jon Octeus with 15 points. Isaac Haas and A.J. Hammons contributed 11 points apiece for Purdue, which went just 2-of-5 from 3-point range, but won the rebounding battle by a 26-21 margin.

Purdue is generating 73.8 ppg, and the team boasts four double-digit scorers, although none net more than Kendall Stephens at just 10.8 ppg. The Boilermakers are connecting on 46.5 percent of their field goal attempts, while the opposition turns the trick at 40.8 percent. Those same foes are hitting 37.8 percent of their long-range launches, but come up well short in the rebounding battle (-6.9). Purdue is giving up 64.3 ppg, holding its last two opponents below that figure, while failing to do so against the previous three -- the trio of Vanderbilt, Notre Dame and Gardner-Webb producing an average of 88 points.

Expect a close game between two teams that have put forth some solid efforts this season. You can't dismiss the homecourt advantage for the Boilermakers, but they will likely come up short against a Maryland squad hoping to make its first season in the Big Ten a memorable one.