Preview: Struggling Big Ten Teams Seek Turnaround in Valentine’s Day Matchup WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (Interstat) — Two teams looking to halt extended slides will meet Saturday when the Rutgers women’s basketball team visits Purdue in a Big Ten Conference matchup at Mackey Arena. The Scarlet Knights (9-15, 1-10 Big Ten) enter on a five-game losing streak, most recently falling 63-52 to Minnesota on Feb. 8. The Boilermakers (11-13, 3-8) have lost four straight, including a 74-59 defeat at Indiana on the same date. Rutgers will lean on guard Zachara Perkins, who has been a consistent bright spot during the skid. She is averaging 13.5 points, 4.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists over the last four games, including an 18-point, five-rebound, five-assist performance against Minnesota. Forward Nene Ndiaye added a season-high 26 points in that loss. Purdue’s recent results have been defined by inconsistency. The Boilermakers’ last win was an 80-69 victory over Indiana on Jan. 25. Guard McKenna Layden is coming off a season-high 35 minutes against Indiana, where she grabbed nine rebounds. Her production has varied, but she posted eight points and two assists in the Jan. 25 win over the Hoosiers. Both teams have faced similar struggles, particularly on the road against ranked non-conference opponents, with lopsided losses at UCLA and Southern California in late January. The matchup pits Rutgers’s conference-worst offense, averaging just 56.8 points per game in Big Ten play, against a Purdue defense that has allowed 78.3 points per game during its four-game losing streak. History adds another layer, as Purdue will look to avenge a 72-70 overtime loss to Rutgers in their last meeting on Feb. 16, 2025. Following this game, Rutgers continues a road swing at Illinois on Feb. 17. Purdue remains home to host Iowa on Feb. 19 in a nationally televised contest. Saturday’s tipoff is scheduled for 2 p.m. EST.