#2 Alabama at #13 Purdue: MASTER DISCUSSION THREAD
- Thread starter Travis Miller
- Start date
This is a great game for mid-November. It could be the game that turns us into a March contender. We'll know more in March,.
We need to cut down on the turnovers, and we are going to need to get better post play tonight if we are going to have any chance tonight.
Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Tonight, it's the #2-ranked Alabama Crimson Tide (3-0) visiting Mackey Arena to take on the #13-ranked Purdue Boilermakers (3-0) in an intersectional battle between two teams who both reached the NCAA Tournament Semi-Finals last season. Tip is scheduled for around 7:00 pm (Eastern time) with television coverage on Peacock. Alabama is the highest rated non-conference opponent for Purdue in Mackey Arena in more than 50 years.
Projected Starting Line-ups:
Alabama - Jarin Stevenson, Grant Nelson, Clifford Omoruyi, Labaron Philon, and Mark Sears
Purdue - Trey Kaufman-Renn, Will Berg, Gicarri Harris, Fletcher Loyer, and Braden Smith
________________________________
Last December, Purdue beat Alabama 92-86 in an entertaining high-scoring contest in Toronto. Mark Sears had 35 (tied for most scored that day with Zach Edey) on 8/16 shooting from long-range. Braden Smith chipped in with 27 points and 8 assists. Look for more of the same tonight but with some different players.
Purdue is 12th in KenPom's ratings, powered by the fourth-best offense. The Boilers are a slower paced team than the Crimson Tide averaging 84.7 points per contest - shooting 54.4% from the floor, 43.7% from 3-pt range, and 69.9% on FT's. Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Trey Kaufman-Renn are all averaging at least 15.0 points per game.
Alabama returns most of their production from last year's Final Four team, including star guard Mark Sears. He is averaging 18.0 points and 3.7 rebounds through his first three games after scoring 22 points against McNeese State on Monday. Senior guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is averaging 12.3 points and 3.3 rebounds, while senior forward Grant Nelson is adding 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds. Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi has stepped into the starting lineup with 10.7 points and a team-high 8.0 rebounds, providing Alabama with a very strong interior presence.
Look for Purdue to still score plenty in the pick-and-roll, as that could give Alabama some issues. In three games against UNC Asheville, Arkansas State and McNeese State, the Tide have allowed .82 pick-and-roll points per possession (34th percentile) — Purdue will be a considerable step up in competition. Getting stops is where the Boilers may really struggle. They've already let two teams exceed 70 points against them giving up plenty of points in the paint. Enter Alabama with a much more formidable front line with Nelson, Omoruyi, and Stevenson......this is the proverbial going from the frying pan into the fire. Purdue will need to shore up the dribble penetration and will still likely need to give some extra help to the bigs - that will leave some open opportunities for Sears and company from the outside - if Sears has a hot hand like last year, that might be too much for Purdue to overcome, even at home.
Overall, Purdue allows 69.0 points on 42.3% shooting this season. The Boilers have done a decent job at defending threes (27.9%) and limiting free throw attempts (13.3 per game). They'll have to really improve on the glass by denying offensive rebounds (11.0 per game) and forcing more turnovers (10.7 per game).
Purdue will also need to improve transition defense, which has allowed 1.05 PPP (38th percentile) to three mid-major opponents. Alabama is among the more up-tempo, transition-reliant offenses in college hoops and will exploit any vulnerability, especially if Purdue continues with the turnover problems on its possessions.
This is an all-hands-on-deck type of game for the Boilers. Alabama could very well be the toughest team it plays all season, and they will need big contributions from a number of players not named Smith, Loyer, or Kaufman-Renn on both ends of the floor to prevail. On the other hand, it's a great opportunity for a player or two to step up against great competition. Can the Boilers keep this terrific non-conference game streak going? It's a tough task against a formidable team....we shall see coming up in a little over a half hour or so....
Boiler up, my friends.
Projected Starting Line-ups:
Alabama - Jarin Stevenson, Grant Nelson, Clifford Omoruyi, Labaron Philon, and Mark Sears
Purdue - Trey Kaufman-Renn, Will Berg, Gicarri Harris, Fletcher Loyer, and Braden Smith
________________________________
Last December, Purdue beat Alabama 92-86 in an entertaining high-scoring contest in Toronto. Mark Sears had 35 (tied for most scored that day with Zach Edey) on 8/16 shooting from long-range. Braden Smith chipped in with 27 points and 8 assists. Look for more of the same tonight but with some different players.
Purdue is 12th in KenPom's ratings, powered by the fourth-best offense. The Boilers are a slower paced team than the Crimson Tide averaging 84.7 points per contest - shooting 54.4% from the floor, 43.7% from 3-pt range, and 69.9% on FT's. Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Trey Kaufman-Renn are all averaging at least 15.0 points per game.
Alabama returns most of their production from last year's Final Four team, including star guard Mark Sears. He is averaging 18.0 points and 3.7 rebounds through his first three games after scoring 22 points against McNeese State on Monday. Senior guard Latrell Wrightsell Jr. is averaging 12.3 points and 3.3 rebounds, while senior forward Grant Nelson is adding 12.0 points and 5.7 rebounds. Rutgers transfer Clifford Omoruyi has stepped into the starting lineup with 10.7 points and a team-high 8.0 rebounds, providing Alabama with a very strong interior presence.
Look for Purdue to still score plenty in the pick-and-roll, as that could give Alabama some issues. In three games against UNC Asheville, Arkansas State and McNeese State, the Tide have allowed .82 pick-and-roll points per possession (34th percentile) — Purdue will be a considerable step up in competition. Getting stops is where the Boilers may really struggle. They've already let two teams exceed 70 points against them giving up plenty of points in the paint. Enter Alabama with a much more formidable front line with Nelson, Omoruyi, and Stevenson......this is the proverbial going from the frying pan into the fire. Purdue will need to shore up the dribble penetration and will still likely need to give some extra help to the bigs - that will leave some open opportunities for Sears and company from the outside - if Sears has a hot hand like last year, that might be too much for Purdue to overcome, even at home.
Overall, Purdue allows 69.0 points on 42.3% shooting this season. The Boilers have done a decent job at defending threes (27.9%) and limiting free throw attempts (13.3 per game). They'll have to really improve on the glass by denying offensive rebounds (11.0 per game) and forcing more turnovers (10.7 per game).
Purdue will also need to improve transition defense, which has allowed 1.05 PPP (38th percentile) to three mid-major opponents. Alabama is among the more up-tempo, transition-reliant offenses in college hoops and will exploit any vulnerability, especially if Purdue continues with the turnover problems on its possessions.
This is an all-hands-on-deck type of game for the Boilers. Alabama could very well be the toughest team it plays all season, and they will need big contributions from a number of players not named Smith, Loyer, or Kaufman-Renn on both ends of the floor to prevail. On the other hand, it's a great opportunity for a player or two to step up against great competition. Can the Boilers keep this terrific non-conference game streak going? It's a tough task against a formidable team....we shall see coming up in a little over a half hour or so....
Boiler up, my friends.
Yes Robbie the atmosphere is great in Mackey! Nice set up. It's gonna be rocking!
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