Purdue fans know this fact too well: March hasn't been kind to the Boilermakers.
It's been 38 years since Purdue last played in a Final Four, and while they've had some excellent teams in that span, all have fallen short. This year's squad is considered one of their best, and will try to erase the Boilers' unlucky Tournament history:
Does 1988 and 2011 have anything to do with this squad? Of course not, but Purdue can shatter their March perception with a run this year. The table looks set to do exactly that - their #2 seed is the highest in twenty years (1998) and they'll likely be favored in their next game, should they advance today, and favored again in the Regional Semifinal (again, if they win).
For whatever it's worth, under Matt Painter, Purdue has only been eliminated by a lower seed twice: 2011 (#3, lost to #11 VCU) and 2016 (#5, lost to #12 Arkansas-Little Rock).