NOT IOWA CITY, Iowa — Greetings from .... home.
Purdue plays at fourth-ranked Iowa tonight, and instead of eating my customary Panchero's en route to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, I'm sitting in my home office recliner, cursing this pandemic for robbing me of my only chance this year to stop at Iowa 80, the World's Largest Truck Stop.
Anyway, house money for Purdue tonight if you ask me.
Iowa can really, really score — it's fourth nationally for a reason — and really, really shoot, and Purdue has been a very pedestrian transition-defense team, especially off makes, which is simple attentiveness, probably. And the Boilermakers are vulnerable to the three, especially when the 5 man can shoot, and Luka Garza can most certainly do that.
A couple thoughts ...
• Offensive rebounding my be Purdue's big opportunity here. Iowa's attention span on the offensive glass is gonna be limited, because they want to get it and go, and offensive rebounding is just part of the Boilermakers' basketball culture now. Big opportunity for Trevion Williams, Zach Edey, Aaron Wheeler and Mason Gillis, but also the guards to run down long ones. That said, getting back on defense is especially imperative tonight.
• Purdue's got to be on its game offensively, because if it runs its offense precisely, it's going to get what it wants at that end of the floor. Then it's just a matter of making 'em.
They've got to make Garza work on defense, try to sap his energy by any means necessary.
To me, Iowa is vulnerable. I know they're fourth in the country, but I trust no team that guards the way the way they do and simply isn't very physical. Counting on scoring 90 every night is a dangerous life to live.
But I just don't know if Purdue is quite up to it yet from a defensive perspective to avoid that very sort of shootout. In fact, if Purdue turns the ball over, this can go sideways in a hurry.
• Tonight is the first night to me that Purdue misses Nojel Eastern. I say that acknowledging the fact that Purdue is a better offensive team without him, but his ability to cancel Joe Wieskamp was a big deal in the Boilermakers' two wins. Purdue simply doesn't have an off-the-ball defender of that level. Might be a real chance for Brandon Newman, but he's still a bit of a young buck responsibility-wise. Might just be better suited to put Stefanovic on him and try to make him dribble.
• I'd expect Purdue to lay off Connor McCaffery to try to crowd Garza again. If he makes a couple threes, then look out. Purdue will beg him to, though.
That's what I've got. We'll be back after with all our normal coverage.
In the meantime, I'll chip in here and on Twitter at @brianneubert
Purdue plays at fourth-ranked Iowa tonight, and instead of eating my customary Panchero's en route to Carver-Hawkeye Arena, I'm sitting in my home office recliner, cursing this pandemic for robbing me of my only chance this year to stop at Iowa 80, the World's Largest Truck Stop.
Anyway, house money for Purdue tonight if you ask me.
Iowa can really, really score — it's fourth nationally for a reason — and really, really shoot, and Purdue has been a very pedestrian transition-defense team, especially off makes, which is simple attentiveness, probably. And the Boilermakers are vulnerable to the three, especially when the 5 man can shoot, and Luka Garza can most certainly do that.
A couple thoughts ...
• Offensive rebounding my be Purdue's big opportunity here. Iowa's attention span on the offensive glass is gonna be limited, because they want to get it and go, and offensive rebounding is just part of the Boilermakers' basketball culture now. Big opportunity for Trevion Williams, Zach Edey, Aaron Wheeler and Mason Gillis, but also the guards to run down long ones. That said, getting back on defense is especially imperative tonight.
• Purdue's got to be on its game offensively, because if it runs its offense precisely, it's going to get what it wants at that end of the floor. Then it's just a matter of making 'em.
They've got to make Garza work on defense, try to sap his energy by any means necessary.
To me, Iowa is vulnerable. I know they're fourth in the country, but I trust no team that guards the way the way they do and simply isn't very physical. Counting on scoring 90 every night is a dangerous life to live.
But I just don't know if Purdue is quite up to it yet from a defensive perspective to avoid that very sort of shootout. In fact, if Purdue turns the ball over, this can go sideways in a hurry.
• Tonight is the first night to me that Purdue misses Nojel Eastern. I say that acknowledging the fact that Purdue is a better offensive team without him, but his ability to cancel Joe Wieskamp was a big deal in the Boilermakers' two wins. Purdue simply doesn't have an off-the-ball defender of that level. Might be a real chance for Brandon Newman, but he's still a bit of a young buck responsibility-wise. Might just be better suited to put Stefanovic on him and try to make him dribble.
• I'd expect Purdue to lay off Connor McCaffery to try to crowd Garza again. If he makes a couple threes, then look out. Purdue will beg him to, though.
That's what I've got. We'll be back after with all our normal coverage.
In the meantime, I'll chip in here and on Twitter at @brianneubert
