This is the third year in a row that Purdue will be number #1, so some fans will yawn and say, “here we go again”. That said, I think that this team is different than the two that proceeded it in that it is far more balanced. Two years ago, Purdue had the number #1 offense by a large margin (according to the computers) for most of the season, but the defense was not good at all. Last year, the offense was still great and the defense was improved, but still not nearly at the level of the offense. In both cases, when the offense struggled against teams that fouled with abandon, the defense was not good enough to relieve the pressure on the offense.
I think that this team is different. Despite the challenges in stopping Marquette, this is a much tougher defensive team, which in turns takes the pressure off of the offense to be perfect. It just seems more substantial to me. The last two teams kind of faded when the going got tough in the later part of the season. I think that this team is much better constructed to sustain its effectiveness through the season.
I think that this team is different. Despite the challenges in stopping Marquette, this is a much tougher defensive team, which in turns takes the pressure off of the offense to be perfect. It just seems more substantial to me. The last two teams kind of faded when the going got tough in the later part of the season. I think that this team is much better constructed to sustain its effectiveness through the season.