# 8 vs. # 11 in Indy

[TwinDegrees2]

This one game will say a lot about Purdue's chances of winning out. Neutral court (Butler's home crowd though) yet on the road with what should be a hostile environment.

Both teams moved up in the rankings this week, and I found the following info telling....Butler rank second nationally in scoring 91.7 points per game and have topped 80 points in six of their nine games. Even if you would take away their 144 points in the opener against Citadel—they'd still be averaging 85.1 points.

The Boilermakers are shooting 37.3 percent from deep and attempting 25.1 threes per game, compared to 32.7 percent on only 17.6 attempts per game last season. The inside-outside balance makes Purdue really hard to guard and is more sustainable than some of the three-happy offenses that lack interior scoring.

Offense vs. offense and defense vs. defense this weekend with two well coached teams. It should be one hell of a game and a big test for Painter's defense. Beat Butler and it's a top five ranking.

 

[TC4THREE]

Big game but can we stop with the winning out stuff? Even if we are as good as we all hope we are that is highly unlikely for any team not to slip up somewhere along the line, if not a few times.

 

[BBG]

Big game but can we stop with the winning out stuff? Even if we are as good as we all hope we are that is highly unlikely for any team not to slip up somewhere along the line, if not a few times.

This. Unless he is talking winning out the preseason.

We aren't going to win out the whole season.

 

[TwinDegrees2]

Big game but can we stop with the winning out stuff? Even if we are as good as we all hope we are that is highly unlikely for any team not to slip up somewhere along the line, if not a few times.

Didn't say the Boilers are going to "win out". Said if they beat Butler it improves their chance of doing so. MSU is going to be very tough to beat imo.

 

[TC4THREE]

Didn't say the Boilers are going to "win out". Said if they beat Butler it improves their chance of doing so. MSU is going to be very tough to beat imo.

Well I guess it's obvious that each win improves your chances of doing so since any loss would eliminate your chances entirely. Seems odd to even be mentioning it at this point though. Very few games on the schedule that we'll be able to to win without a good showing.

 

[njm8845]

I think by the "stop with the winning out stuff", he didn't think the OP meant Purdue would win out. Instead, he meant that it's silly to even discuss it. And it is.

And it will continue to be silly to discuss winning out until about early March.

All this does is just gets everybody's hopes up. Which isn't all bad I guess, but when we do lose, those same "over the moon" posters will be "the sky is falling" posters.

 

[BBG]

I think by the "stop with the winning out stuff", he didn't think the OP meant Purdue would win out. Instead, he meant that it's silly to even discuss it. And it is.

And it will continue to be silly to discuss winning out until about early March.

All this does is just gets everybody's hopes up. Which isn't all bad I guess, but when we do lose, those same "over the moon" posters will be "the sky is falling" posters.

Your last paragraph is sadly very, very accurate. There are a couple posters that have oddly been absent this year so far, but I bet they show up after a loss.

 

[BoilerBulldog]

Your last paragraph is sadly very, very accurate. There are a couple posters that have oddly been absent this year so far, but I bet they show up after a loss.

Just wait...the "Fire Painter" thread is coming back as soon as we lose a conference game to an inferior team. And I subscribe to the theory that any team in the B1G can beat any other team on any given night.

 

[Heller]

I don't think we will win out. But...if we did run the table can you imagine the number of IU fans who would have a apoplectic seizure that their vaunted 1976 team was bested by Purdue? Now that brings a huge smile to my face. And Crapforbrains, I'm not saying it will happen, just it would be amusing as hell if it did, you know, like you guys actually winning a Rose Bowl.

 

[*4purdue*]

This game has to be another bucket list game for CMP, RD & AJ. I'm guessing this is one of the games that was circled before the season as one we really want since we have yet to win a Crossroads game. If we don't come out focused & play one of our best games, I'll be surprised. My only concern is coming off finals week.

 

[Matt18Jones]

Butler's defense ranks 128th nationally(and that's tempo free btw, it's efficiency rankings)

They don't force turnovers, they're small, they aren't good athletes, and they give up a high % on 2 pointers.

It's completely fair to believe Purdue will crush Butler.

 

[BBG]

This game has to be another bucket list game for CMP, RD & AJ. I'm guessing this is one of the games that was circled before the season as one we really want since we have yet to win a Crossroads game. If we don't come out focused & play one of our best games, I'll be surprised. My only concern is coming off finals week.

Good point about finals. Don't we usually struggle after them?

 

[joe for prez]

I don't think we will win out. But...if we did run the table can you imagine the number of IU fans who would have a apoplectic seizure that their vaunted 1976 team was bested by Purdue? Now that brings a huge smile to my face. And Crapforbrains, I'm not saying it will happen, just it would be amusing as hell if it did, you know, like you guys actually winning a Rose Bowl.

Suicide hotlines in Indiana would need more phone lines

 

[CRBoiler]

You'd think it might make the more rabid fans shut up about the dusty banners at Ass Hall, but probably not.

It is very, very unlikely that we will finish undefeated, but Hoosier angst will be one of the joys should it come to pass.

 

[tjreese]

This game has to be another bucket list game for CMP, RD & AJ. I'm guessing this is one of the games that was circled before the season as one we really want since we have yet to win a Crossroads game. If we don't come out focused & play one of our best games, I'll be surprised. My only concern is coming off finals week.

Final week has not bee friendly to Purdue...but THAT changes Saturday

 

[DG10]

Big game but can we stop with the winning out stuff? Even if we are as good as we all hope we are that is highly unlikely for any team not to slip up somewhere along the line, if not a few times.

This team is a very good team...arguably the best TEAM at Purdue in quite some time...it is fun to watch, it plays hard and there appears to be really good chemistry...if it can stay healthy and continue to improve, it has a chance to make a nice run in the NCAA tournament in March...barring some epic collapse, no reason to lose sleep or get hung up on a loss that is going to occur at some point, never mind a couple likely along the way. Ultimately, I would just like to see this team be healthy and playing its best basketball at the end of the year.

 

[DG10]

This one game will say a lot about Purdue's chances of winning out. Neutral court (Butler's home crowd though) yet on the road with what should be a hostile environment.

Both teams moved up in the rankings this week, and I found the following info telling....Butler rank second nationally in scoring 91.7 points per game and have topped 80 points in six of their nine games. Even if you would take away their 144 points in the opener against Citadel—they'd still be averaging 85.1 points.

The Boilermakers are shooting 37.3 percent from deep and attempting 25.1 threes per game, compared to 32.7 percent on only 17.6 attempts per game last season. The inside-outside balance makes Purdue really hard to guard and is more sustainable than some of the three-happy offenses that lack interior scoring.

Offense vs. offense and defense vs. defense this weekend with two well coached teams. It should be one hell of a game and a big test for Painter's defense. Beat Butler and it's a top five ranking.

It is a big game...and equally a big opportunity. Purdue has never won a game in the event, and it has lost to Butler five times in a row. Butler is a talented team and well-coached, and they always play hard. That said, Purdue is the better, deeper and more talented team. Butler has not been good defensively...and while Purdue has not been near as good as the statistics say in that regard, it has been good at times and is capable of being really good at that end. Purdue should win on Saturday, and hopefully it will...if it doesn't, it will be disappointing likely, but it won't be the end of the world nor will it keep this team from being able to do what it ultimately hopes to come March.

 

[boilerHup]

Where the hell is Butler ranked #11?

 

[Dryfly88]

Where the hell is Butler ranked #11?

I was thinking that also.

#17 in AP, #18 Coaches poll

 

[Bob Sienicki]

A note on "winning out"... or not...

I don't think it's productive to say either we will, might, or "definitely" won't at this point. As long as we're undefeated, the mathematical possibility exists, which is all one can say. And that same mathematical possibility exists for a number of other teams out there, as well. And none of it is relevant to what's at hand.

What is relevant is trying to beat Butler and get some payback.

Instead of debating what our ultimate W-L record may be, I think it is safe to say we have the talent, experience, and depth to beat a-n-y-o-n-e on our schedule. Whether we do or not will depend on a lot of factors as each of those games comes up - e.g. injury/health issues, school/personal issues, overconfidence/distractions, etc, etc, etc - for Purdue AND its opponents. And none of those factors can be measured and/or predicted by KenPom, Sagarin, or any other set of statistics.

So while such thoughts are intriguing, they are nothing but wasted hot air right now.

But with that said, I have to admit I am just as guilty as anyone else around here! ;-)

 

[punaj]

A note on "winning out"... or not...

I don't think it's productive to say either we will, might, or "definitely" won't at this point. As long as we're undefeated, the mathematical possibility exists, which is all one can say. And that same mathematical possibility exists for a number of other teams out there, as well. And none of it is relevant to what's at hand.

What is relevant is trying to beat Butler and get some payback.

Instead of debating what our ultimate W-L record may be, I think it is safe to say we have the talent, experience, and depth to beat a-n-y-o-n-e on our schedule. Whether we do or not will depend on a lot of factors as each of those games comes up - e.g. injury/health issues, school/personal issues, overconfidence/distractions, etc, etc, etc - for Purdue AND its opponents. And none of those factors can be measured and/or predicted by KenPom, Sagarin, or any other set of statistics.

So while such thoughts are intriguing, they are nothing but wasted hot air right now.

But with that said, I have to admit I am just as guilty as anyone else around here! ;-)

I will take a Purdue national championship any day any way it comes, but winning out would be sweet. To take the "last team to go undefeated" banner away from the Hoosiers would make my day. I'm a Boiler living in Bloomington and I would rub that into my colleagues faces any chance I could get as payback for the crap I get for living here.

 

[threeeputtt]

"Win out". LMAO. I will be very pleased if we lose no more than 3-4. We WILL lose, like EVERY other team, to an inferior team somewhere when you least expect it. That would leave us ranked in the top 4-8 or higher and a good chance to go deep in the Nationals. BUT, it is MEANINGLESS for now. One game at a time.