EVANSTON, Ill. (Interstat) — The Purdue Boilermakers look to rebound from a rare skid when they visit the Northwestern Wildcats in a Big Ten men’s basketball matchup Wednesday night at Welsh-Ryan Arena.

Purdue (22-7, 12-5 Big Ten) has dropped two straight games, including a 74-76 home loss to Michigan State and an 82-74 defeat at Ohio State on Sunday. The Boilermakers’ offense, typically one of the nation’s most efficient, has shown cracks, shooting a combined 43% from the field in the two losses.

Guard Braden Smith remains the engine for Purdue. He is coming off a 20-point, 7-assist performance against the Buckeyes and has recorded three double-doubles in his last seven games. His playmaking will be critical against Northwestern’s defense.

The Wildcats (13-16, 7-10) have found a late-season spark, winning three of their last four, including a dramatic 63-62 victory over Oregon on Saturday. Forward Nick Martinelli has been instrumental in the surge, averaging 24.3 points over that four-game stretch. He poured in a career-high 29 points in a win over Maryland on Feb. 18 and followed with 28 at Indiana.

Northwestern will rely on its home court, where it is 10-5 this season, to challenge a Purdue team that is 6-4 in true road games. The Wildcats’ recent success has featured tighter defense, holding three of their last four opponents under 75 points.

Purdue won the season’s first meeting, 93-63, in West Lafayette on Jan. 10. Smith had 13 points and 10 assists in that contest, while Martinelli was held to 11 points for Northwestern.

For the Boilermakers, a win is essential to stay in contention for a top seed in the upcoming NCAA tournament. For the Wildcats, continuing their improved play could build momentum heading into the Big Ten tournament.

Tipoff is scheduled for 8 p.m. CST. Purdue hosts Wisconsin on Saturday, while Northwestern travels to Minnesota.