Andy Katz's Bold Purdue Opinion is a Real Thinker

Andy Katz is working the sidelines for Big Ten Network this season and it appears he may have ingested some conference Kool-Aid during a break in action. Before tonight’s massive Ohio State-Purdue matchup, Katz laid a smoky, honey-glazed hunk of meat out on the take table for inspection.

Mackey Arena, in West Lafayette, is the best place to see a college basketball game this season, Katz said. He puts it ahead of Kansas, Duke, and, well, every other place.

That’s how all this works.

Now, my first reaction, which I’m sure is not unique:

But Purdue is arguably the best team in the country this year with a spell-binding big man in Isaac Haas and tough, interesting guard play. Boilermakers fans haven’t been softened by a glut of recent success and are hungry for big things. So maybe Katz is onto something here.

Or maybe it was just a nice thing to say, something you say when you’re in the Midwest and people are so friendly. If nothing else, it speaks to how different this year feels for Purdue.