Hammer and Rails
Purdue's Okayest Blog
Total reads
3,038
This week
7
Rank
#71 of 424
Published
631 posts
Most read posts
Featured on Sportsblogs
Run this blog? Add the badge to your site to show readers you're featured — it links back to this page.
Latest Entries
2026-27 Purdue Basketball Offseason Homework: Jace Rayl
A year ago at this time we were all hoping to wake up on the morning of April 8, 2026 still basking in the glow of Purdue’s first Men’s Basketball National Title. That same dream was there at the start of the 2025-26 season when the Boilermakers began the year as the preseason No. 1. […]
Purdue Readers Reacts Survey: Looking ahead to the 2026-2027 Men’s Basketball Season
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Purdue fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. Basketball season is officially over and it’s time to look ahead to football… . . . […]
2026 NCAA Men’s Final Four Fan Discussion
As hard as it is for Purdue fans to watch four other teams in today’s Final Four, that just so happens to be just down the street in Indianapolis, I know most of us will be tuning in. With that in mind I wanted to give you all a space to talk about the upcoming […]
Purdue Readers React Survey Results – Was the 2025-2026 Purdue Men’s Basketball Season a Success?
We’ve made it through another week folks. The Final Four is right around the corner, or so I’ve heard, despite my hope that they would cancel the rest of the tournament after last weekend. Fletcher Loyer is preparing to compete in the Final Four Three Point shootout as I type this. And I hope you’ve […]
Baseball Hosts Illinois at Halfway Point of the Season
College baseball has a 56 game regular season for everyone and the Big Ten recently expanded its conference slate from 24 to 30 games with 10 three-game series for each of the 17 baseball playing schools. With Illinois coming to Alexander Field this weekend it marks roughly the halfway point for the 2026 season, and […]
Purdue Readers Reacts Survey: Was the 2025-2026 Purdue Men’s Basketball Season a Success?
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the NCAA. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Purdue fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys. With Purdue’s season now over it’s time to look back in judgment. I’m only slightly exaggerating. […]
The End of an Era, The Beginning of a New One
I spent much of this weekend camping with my son’s Scout troop. For the sixth time in my life Purdue was a single win away from reaching the Final Four. For the third time, that Final Four was right in our own backyard in Indianapolis where I would easily be able to attend. In 1980 […]
Second Half Offensive Slump Dooms Boilermakers Attempt to Return to the Final Four: Arizona 79 – Purdue 64
Elite Eight games are just different. They feel different than anything with the exception of a championship game. Coaches, players, and teams are judged based on getting to the Final Four and winning the championship. Two years ago Purdue broke through to the Final Four, and ultimately to the national championship game, for the first […]
Purdue Basketball: How to Watch #2 Purdue (30-8) vs. #1 Arizona (35-2) & Fan Discussion
This is it. The final step before Indianapolis. The final step before a return to the Final Four. Forty minutes of basketball separates Purdue basketball and a de facto home game in the Final Four. The team can’t look ahead to that though as they’ve got an incredible challenge in front of them against #1 […]
#2 Purdue Basketball vs. #1 Arizona: Elite Eight Staff Predictions
No explanation needed here. It’s Saturday. It’s gameday. Elite Eight. Tonight. Let’s get into it. Ledman: If you read the Q&A I did over at Arizona Desert Swarm you already know my prediction. Or if you listened to the latest episode of the Boiler Alert podcast you know my prediction. I think this Purdue team […]
Elite Eight: Purdue vs Arizona, Offensive Heavyweights Meet
Two of the best offenses in the country will go head to head tomorrow night in what looks like will be a heavyweight fight of efficiency, and skill. Purdue averages 82.1 points per game, while Arizona is just north of that at 86 points per game. Arizona sits at 9th in the nation with a […]
Purdue Basketball Know Your Enemy: Arizona Wildcats
The Arizona Wildcats and the Purdue Boilermakers will face off in the Elite Eight tomorrow night with a trip to the Final Four on the line. Let’s not sugarcoat it, Arizona is good. Very good. It’s going to take Purdue’s A game to win this thing. Maybe even an A+ game. It will take a […]
Purdue 79 Texas 77: By the Numbers
Purdue grabbed a win that, by all accounts, was one this group had tended to lose this season. When the shots weren’t falling, Purdue continued to lean on their experience and grit to grab a 79-77 victory over the Texas Longhorns. It’s another short turnaround, so let’s jump right into the numbers. 3 With their […]
Purdue Basketball: Arizona Season, Roster, and Analytics Preview
2025-2026 Season Overall Record: 35-2 Big 12 Record: 16-2 (1st) KenPom Ranking: 1 NCAA Tournament Performance Round of 64: 92-58 over #16 LIU Round of 32: 78 – 66 over #9 Utah State Sweet 16: 109 – 88 over #4 Arkansas Personnel Starters Bench Key Analytics (Per KenPom.com – National Rank ()) KenPom Ranking – 1 Offense Adjusted Efficiency: 128.5 (4) […]
1 Arizona vs 2 Purdue: Opening Odds
As exciting as it was for Trey Kaufman-Renn to make a tip in with less than 1 second remaining to secure a victory in the Sweet Sixteen over 11-seed Texas, the Purdue Boilermakers need to quickly shift their focus on their toughest opponent thusfar in the tournament, Arizona. The Wildcats are one of three overwhelming […]
Purdue 79, Texas 77: Postgame Video
Every win is beautiful, epecially in the tournament. I have been staring at the flashing cursor for the last few minutes thinking about what I should write. The entire second half was about as intense of a basketball game as you can ask for, right to the very end. It was a game where Texas […]
Sweet 16: Purdue 79, Texas 77 Tipped to the Elite Eight
We’re excited to continue to partner with SpaceVault for all your local storage needs in Lafayette, Indiana SpaceVault Self-Storage is more than just a spot to store your extra stuff. We’re a local partner here to make things easier for everyone in Lafayette—residents, students, and businesses alike. SpaceVault started in Lafayette with a pretty simple […]
Purdue Basketball: How to Watch #2 Purdue (29-8) vs. #11 Texas (21-14) & Fan Discussion
Purdue and Texas will face off for the 5th time in the NCAA Tournament (2-2 currently) with a trip to the Elite Eight on the line. This is a huge game for both programs. This is a Texas team that wasn’t supposed to get here and a Purdue team who was supposed to be the […]
Sweet 16 Preview: #2 Purdue vs. #11 Texas
#11 Texas, with its giant sports budget and huge student population, might be the closest thing to a Cinderella this tournament has left after knocking off #3 seed Gonzaga in the round of 32. It’s the highest remaining seed in the tournament. For #2 Purdue, it’s not something new to find a double-digit seed in […]
Purdue Basketball: Texas Season, Roster, and Analytics Review
2025-2026 Season Overall Record: 21-14 SEC Record: 9-9 (10th) KenPom Ranking: 31 Previous 3 Games 3/21: W – 74 – 68 vs Gonzaga @ NCAA Round of 32 3/19: W – 79 – 71 vs BYU @ NCAA Round of 64 3/6: W – 68 – 66 vs NC State @ NCAA Play In Game Record vs KenPom Top 50: 6-11 Best KenPom […]
Purdue Fan Survey Results: Will Purdue Head to Indianapolis?
It’s the end of the week and that means that Purdue fan results are in and ready for your consumption. Purdue will be in action in less than 24 hours. In less than 24 hours you’ll know if Purdue is headed to the Elite Eight and will be just one game away from the Final […]
Purdue Men’s Basketball vs. Texas: Staff Predictions
Purdue men’s basketball is in the Sweet 16 and they will face the Texas Longhorns. Of course, if you are reading this, you already know that. So I wanted to get the staff’s predictions for Thursday’s game. Ledman: If you’ve paid any attention to this site you know I was only one point off the […]
Purdue Basketball: Keys for Purdue’s Sweet 16 Matchup vs Texas
You might think Purdue vs Texas isn’t much of a basketball rivalry. For those unfamiliar with Purdue basketball lore, it seems like a standard Sweet 16 matchup between two random teams without much in common other than the desire to survive and advance. When the Longhorns stuck the final knife in Gonzaga’s season, I started […]
The West Region: Sweet 16 Odds and Predictions
Purdue has settled in as a top 16 team in college basketball, once again. In seven of the last nine years l, Purdue has staked their claim to that title of college basketball, the most S16 appearances during that span. Now they get the “Cinderella” Texas, who has one of the highest payrolls in CBB, […]
FanDuel Opening Odds: Purdue vs. Texas in the Sweet 16
The Purdue Boilermakers were very impressive in the opening weekend wins against Queens and Miami as they moved to their seventh Sweet Sixteen in the last nine NCAA Tourneys. On the backs of being one of the most experienced teams entering the tourney, Purdue controlled each game and maintained their composure as they shot an […]