Battle for Atlantis
- Thread starter BoilerBulldog
- Start date
You know, assuming all goes as planned... we meet again. We just just schedule a home and home, lol!
Might as well start with expectations now. As a fan, what would you consider to be a successful tourney result?
Looking at that field, I think we're fortunate to draw the opposite side of the bracket versus AZ, but Nova is no slouch. My expectation is that we drop that game and finish third. Anything better than that is gravy. Losing more than one game would be worrisome.
Looking at that field, I think we're fortunate to draw the opposite side of the bracket versus AZ, but Nova is no slouch. My expectation is that we drop that game and finish third. Anything better than that is gravy. Losing more than one game would be worrisome.
I can see a loss to Nova, or even Tennessee. I hope the close games vs Canada and the WUG gets these guys clicking and we play Arizona in the finals for the championship. My wife graduated from Arizona so that game will be interesting in my house. Winning this tournament would be huge for early rankings, which I know some think are worthless. I think they stick in the minds of voters all year and would love for them to have something good to think about for Purdue. Add the Boilers repping the USA well and it could be a very fun year.
Looking at the draw I guess that Purdue is the #3 seed in this tournament. Villanova is good but they have lost a lot of talent. They are certainly beatable. It is likely that depth becomes an issue. That would favor the WL contingent.
Agreed they are beatable and lost a lot of talent. Hart is with the Lakers and Jenkins is probably going to end up abroad. However, they are top 10 for a reason. Nova will probably struggle a little early on but I fully expect they will be really good by the tournament time.
This year's team will be surprisingly young. No seniors on the roster. That said, at least 2 of them will probably be in the draft and leave early. Brunson (PG) will graduate end of junior year and is assumed gone. The other is Mikal Bridges. He is really liked by the pros for his length and defensive stopper role.
The huge difference this year will be the inside presence and offensive capability we missed last year. Omari Spellman is now eligible and is a flat out stud. He is is big boy (not big enough to bang with Haas) but well get him in foul trouble. Can score from anywhere and is a rebounding machine. Outside chance he leaves after 1 year.
I think you will be surprised on the depth side. I know Purdue is deep, but this will be one of the deepest Nova teams in recent history. Starters will probably be Brunson (1), Booth (2) (finally healthy again), Bridges (3), Spellman (5) and Paschall (4). Off the bench will be DiVincenzo (really good wing), Painter (center), Samuels (high 4*) wing/ 3, Crosby-Roundtree (high4*) 4 and Gillespie (1).
I hope we do meet, I think it will be a good early season test for both clubs. I thought last year's game, for being so early in the season, was fantastic. Great environment and a real slug fest. Seems like we always have close / good games with you guys.
Best of luck this year!
Yes, Villanova is no slouch even without Hart and Jenkins. IF Purdue ends up playing them, the Boilers can expect Brunson and Spellman particularly to give them fits.
This will be a nice early test for all of the teams, and a good result would help come tournament time (both for seeding and experience). Ideally, I'd like to see the Boilers end up playing AZ in the championship game.....then take down the Wildcats (with all due respect to your wife, Punaj).
I want us to be competitive and win of course, but won't jump off the ledge if we don't.
How things go in the preseason are often now they go at the end of the season. I think we certainly have the coaching and talented players to win the whole thing, but won't lose sleep if we don't because there will be entirely too much basketball left to be played to obsess over it.
How things go in the preseason are often now they go at the end of the season. I think we certainly have the coaching and talented players to win the whole thing, but won't lose sleep if we don't because there will be entirely too much basketball left to be played to obsess over it.
Are you my Pal Danny....hmf hmfClassic.....time for a Fresca.
Expectations?! Are those like high standards? HA! I'm not falling for that again.
Winning this tournament would be huge. Remember how IU's one great win carried them through an entire year getting the benefit of a doubt for the remainder of the season. Of coarse it is IU, and they tend to get that anyways when it comes to the NCAA tournament selection.
Any win IU gets is typically blown way out of proportion 
Any win IU gets is typically blown way out of proportion
Maybe, but when was the last time we beat Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, UNC? We have a chance to best Nova and Zona. Those are both very good programs and we would be able to ride those wins when it comes time to seeding for the tournament. I love the draw and I hope our guys are ready!
Sorry, my dig was in fun. I lived in Bloomington for about 15 years. Great town and really beautiful University. Sucks it's IU. I'd love for us to beat those teams and really hope we win this tournament.
We are very familiar with Brunson, since Painter recruited him and many of us hoped he would be a Boilermaker. He's a glue guy.
I chuckled at your statement that your guy might not be able to bang with Haas. Most NBA teams don't have guys who could do that, so there's no shame in it.
I did tell my high school students on their first day of class with me today about my disdain for anything IU or ND athletics. A student asked what colleges I rooted for...when I said Purdue a noticeable grown was let out from a few students I know are big IU fans. I followed it up with, I hope IU and ND lose every single sporting event by 100 points...and that includes hockey. I had a kid who is a HUGE Michigan fan stand up and applaud because he also hates ND. When they say making connections with students is a teachers most important job...I think I got that done with one student today!Any win IU gets is typically blown way out of proportion
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