2024 NCAA Tournament: Tennessee vs. Purdue MASTER DISCUSSION THREAD
- Thread starter Travis Miller
- Start date
Today, let’s punch our first ticket to the Final Four since 1980!!
This will be an extremely tough task to say the least. Hopefully the atmosphere is like a home game and the Vols have 25 turnovers in the first half alone 
Im so hyped for this game today its unreal. I will be there in person screaming my head off in the arena. Heart is already racing. LETS F%UCKING GO! BTFU!
This would be the first final 4 of my lifetime and likely the pinnacle of my sports teams in my life should we win this. To think, if we beat Tenn, we have either NC State or Duke to get to the CHAMPIONSHIP. 2 teams that we are absolutely 100% better than. Doesnt mean we cant lose to them because in 1 game anything can happen.
But if you were told it was nc st or duke to get to the championship when this started we would all be ecstatic.
The problem? We have to win 1 more to get to that situation. I am terrified and nervous yet again. Just win this one guys. Please.
But if you were told it was nc st or duke to get to the championship when this started we would all be ecstatic.
The problem? We have to win 1 more to get to that situation. I am terrified and nervous yet again. Just win this one guys. Please.
It is time for us to have good luck and/or a miracle to help us in the E8 game for once. Make the 4th time be a charm!
1. Glen w/bad back from horseplay vs Dook
2. Gimmick pack-line defense vs wisc that the Big Ten has YET to recover from (thanks dick bennet) ugh...
3. The VA Miracle where everything had to go right, bounce right, all the stars were aligned, basketball gods, etc.
1. Glen w/bad back from horseplay vs Dook
2. Gimmick pack-line defense vs wisc that the Big Ten has YET to recover from (thanks dick bennet) ugh...
3. The VA Miracle where everything had to go right, bounce right, all the stars were aligned, basketball gods, etc.
The closer the tip the more nervous I'm getting. The Gonzaga high is just a memory now. Play hard. Play smart. Just...win...baby...
Good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen. Happy Easter! From Little Caesars Arena in Detroit, it's the Midwest Regional Final between the 2-seed, #6-ranked Tennessee Volunteers and the 1-seed, #3-ranked Purdue Boilermakers. Tip is scheduled for approximately 2:20 pm (Eastern time) with television coverage on CBS. The winner advances to Phoenix for the National Semi-Finals next Saturday and will take on the winner of the South Regional Final between North Carolina State and Duke.
Projected Starting Line-ups:
Tennessee - Jonas Aidoo, Dalton Knecht, Josiah-Jordan James, Jahmai Mashack (Santiago Vescovi is questionable with an illness), and Zaikai Zeigler
Purdue - Zach Edey, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Lance Jones, Fletcher Loyer, and Braden Smith
_________________________________________
Tennessee advanced to this game with a 82-75 victory over 3-seed Creighton on Friday night, and Purdue took out 5-seed Gonzaga, 80-68. Tennessee trailed by a point at halftime and shot just 41.8 percent overall, but the Volunteers took charge when they went on an 18-0 run early in the second half. Tennessee shot 11-for-24 (45.8%) from beyond the arc and did well with possessing the basketball (four turnovers). Senior guard Dalton Knecht led the way with 24 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
This is the second meeting between Tennessee and Purdue this season. Purdue won a very spirited battle, 71-67, on Nov. 21 in the Maui Invitational. It was a tightly contested defensive battle, as both teams shot under 40 percent from the field and below 30 percent from three-point range. The teams also combined for 51 fouls. Fletcher Loyer led Purdue in scoring in that game with 27, and Zach Edey chipped in with 23.
Tennessee is an even stronger opponent than earlier, and they've been a top 5/top 10 team all season. The Volunteers are rated sixth nationally by KenPom. They're 28th in offensive efficiency, 3rd in defensive efficiency, and 79th in tempo (schedule-adjusted). Tennessee averages over 80 points per game (43rd) and ranks 26th in total rebounds (39.0 per game). It's 3rd in opponent field goal percentage (38.5%) and 51st in opponent three-point percentage (31.4%).
Knecht leads the Volunteers with 21.2 points per game on 45.8 percent shooting, including 39.2 percent from long range. Tennessee also gets key contributions from junior guard Zakai Zeigler (11.9 PPG and 6.0 RPG), junior forward Jonas Aidoo (11.7 PPG and 7.5 RPG), and senior guard Josiah-Jordan James (8.5 PPG and 6.4 RPG). Zeigler is coming off an ACL injury last season and came off the bench in the first game, as he was still working his way into the lineup. Zeigler was the SEC defensive player of the year, and his match-up with Braden Smith will likely be a big key for the game.
This game looks to be a quintessential high stakes battle. Tennessee likes to play a little more physical than Purdue, but they don't necessarily want to get totally locked into a half-court game. Expect them to try and force some turnovers both on the wings/entry passes and if Zach Edey gets the ball further out from the paint. On offense, they'll look to exploit Dalton Knecht's tremendous scoring potential from both long-range and on drives. Purdue's rotations will need to be really good, and you'd expect Lance Jones and Cam Heide off the bench will have that assignment a good part of the time.
For the Boilers, it's a lot of the same game plan, which has worked a lot this season - establish Zach Edey and get good opportunities from the outside if/when Tennessee overloads. Braden Smith will have his hands full with Zaikai Zeigler. Of all the games, controlling the glass and limiting the turnovers is paramount......if Purdue executes, especially like the second half Friday night, they will be in really good shape. However, that won't be easy against this very good Tennessee team. You can bet Rick Barnes will have them ready.
Can the Boilers continue a great season and finally break through after 44 years to reach another Final Four? Or, will Tennessee take that next step for the first time?
The winner today will have earned it......we shall see, starting in a couple of hours.
Boiler Up, my friends...
Projected Starting Line-ups:
Tennessee - Jonas Aidoo, Dalton Knecht, Josiah-Jordan James, Jahmai Mashack (Santiago Vescovi is questionable with an illness), and Zaikai Zeigler
Purdue - Zach Edey, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Lance Jones, Fletcher Loyer, and Braden Smith
_________________________________________
Tennessee advanced to this game with a 82-75 victory over 3-seed Creighton on Friday night, and Purdue took out 5-seed Gonzaga, 80-68. Tennessee trailed by a point at halftime and shot just 41.8 percent overall, but the Volunteers took charge when they went on an 18-0 run early in the second half. Tennessee shot 11-for-24 (45.8%) from beyond the arc and did well with possessing the basketball (four turnovers). Senior guard Dalton Knecht led the way with 24 points, six rebounds, and five assists.
This is the second meeting between Tennessee and Purdue this season. Purdue won a very spirited battle, 71-67, on Nov. 21 in the Maui Invitational. It was a tightly contested defensive battle, as both teams shot under 40 percent from the field and below 30 percent from three-point range. The teams also combined for 51 fouls. Fletcher Loyer led Purdue in scoring in that game with 27, and Zach Edey chipped in with 23.
Tennessee is an even stronger opponent than earlier, and they've been a top 5/top 10 team all season. The Volunteers are rated sixth nationally by KenPom. They're 28th in offensive efficiency, 3rd in defensive efficiency, and 79th in tempo (schedule-adjusted). Tennessee averages over 80 points per game (43rd) and ranks 26th in total rebounds (39.0 per game). It's 3rd in opponent field goal percentage (38.5%) and 51st in opponent three-point percentage (31.4%).
Knecht leads the Volunteers with 21.2 points per game on 45.8 percent shooting, including 39.2 percent from long range. Tennessee also gets key contributions from junior guard Zakai Zeigler (11.9 PPG and 6.0 RPG), junior forward Jonas Aidoo (11.7 PPG and 7.5 RPG), and senior guard Josiah-Jordan James (8.5 PPG and 6.4 RPG). Zeigler is coming off an ACL injury last season and came off the bench in the first game, as he was still working his way into the lineup. Zeigler was the SEC defensive player of the year, and his match-up with Braden Smith will likely be a big key for the game.
This game looks to be a quintessential high stakes battle. Tennessee likes to play a little more physical than Purdue, but they don't necessarily want to get totally locked into a half-court game. Expect them to try and force some turnovers both on the wings/entry passes and if Zach Edey gets the ball further out from the paint. On offense, they'll look to exploit Dalton Knecht's tremendous scoring potential from both long-range and on drives. Purdue's rotations will need to be really good, and you'd expect Lance Jones and Cam Heide off the bench will have that assignment a good part of the time.
For the Boilers, it's a lot of the same game plan, which has worked a lot this season - establish Zach Edey and get good opportunities from the outside if/when Tennessee overloads. Braden Smith will have his hands full with Zaikai Zeigler. Of all the games, controlling the glass and limiting the turnovers is paramount......if Purdue executes, especially like the second half Friday night, they will be in really good shape. However, that won't be easy against this very good Tennessee team. You can bet Rick Barnes will have them ready.
Can the Boilers continue a great season and finally break through after 44 years to reach another Final Four? Or, will Tennessee take that next step for the first time?
The winner today will have earned it......we shall see, starting in a couple of hours.
Boiler Up, my friends...
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44-year drought is long enough…let’s do it today and cut down the Midwest regional nets. Boiler Up!
If we can shoot well, score over 80 points, I like our chances. We played good against Gonzaga, but I think we can play even better! If we do that, we won't be beat!
or at worse Purdue having less turnovers than Tenn. I'll take 0 to 0 !This will be an extremely tough task to say the least. Hopefully the atmosphere is like a home game and the Vols have 25 turnovers in the first half alone
PS: Just stay out of foul trouble! Put Heide, Gillis or Lance on Kneckt and we should be doing pretty good.
UCONN and Purdue for the Championship best two teams all year.
Remember the Big Dog, Wisky and obviously Virginia game well. This is the team to get us back - I just feel like these guys have been through so much in the past year and we are absolutely locked in! Let’s do this
Haha I honestly didn't know that was his first name, and I was about to be a smart ass and say that I've heard it's a lovely city.
Not sure if this was posted yet…
I feel like Gimli “just keep breathing, that’s the key”
Haha.....
Boilers are natural sprinters.....very dangerous over short distances.....
Cleaned them, but I am wearing the same clothes that I wore Friday night. Just in case it helps.
give us an idea of the crowd for Purdue and Tenn to your best guess please. Saves me from trying to text someone that could be running a bit late
Cant see behind the benches but its pretty spread out. Not getting the same vibe as when we were in louisville. We are in upper deck right behind purdue bench. Hope more purdue fans fill it up as we get closer to tip.
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