MINNEAPOLIS — Greetings from the Barn, folks.
No. 4 Purdue takes on Minnesota tonight in the only regular season meeting between these two teams.
One of the things I don't like about the transfer era is games like this, where I don't know the players as well as I normally would covering the Big Ten. I do, however, understand the challenges of a first-time coach piecing together a pick-up team to play in the toughest league in the country, and after Minnesota's shockingly hot start to the season, those challenges have started coming to bear.
Purdue's a heavy, heavy favorite tonight, and the matchup on paper looks horrifying for the Gophers, who've been really porous defensively and a downright horrible rebounding team. If they play zone most of the game, I think that not only will be the Boilermakers have a chance to make a lot of shots, but follow a lot of misses.
Three other things ...
• This is the definition of one of those games that'll test a team's approach, its professionalism. Minnesota's lost six of seven, no one's ever seen their players before, it's freezing here and there's no guarantee Purdue's getting home tonight. Good maturity check to not phone this one in.
• This may be a sneaky big game — an in, importance — for Purdue's 4 men, not just because they have to guard Jamison Battle, but because Purdue generally plays through the high post vs. zones and that's usually the 4 flashing to the middle and being responsible for being the inside-out trigger man. Since Battle is a three-point threat, I do wonder if there's a game where Ethan Morton could make sense at forward for a bit.
• It's oversimplifying things to say Purdue needs to make shots, but it's gonna get good looks and if it has one of those shooting games it's capable of, Minnesota's gonna be in a really tough spot.
That's what I've got. Not the most compelling game on the schedule, but they count the same, so Purdue is gonna want to play well.
Follow along here or on Twitter at @brianneubert.
Full coverage to come tonight.
No. 4 Purdue takes on Minnesota tonight in the only regular season meeting between these two teams.
One of the things I don't like about the transfer era is games like this, where I don't know the players as well as I normally would covering the Big Ten. I do, however, understand the challenges of a first-time coach piecing together a pick-up team to play in the toughest league in the country, and after Minnesota's shockingly hot start to the season, those challenges have started coming to bear.
Purdue's a heavy, heavy favorite tonight, and the matchup on paper looks horrifying for the Gophers, who've been really porous defensively and a downright horrible rebounding team. If they play zone most of the game, I think that not only will be the Boilermakers have a chance to make a lot of shots, but follow a lot of misses.
Three other things ...
• This is the definition of one of those games that'll test a team's approach, its professionalism. Minnesota's lost six of seven, no one's ever seen their players before, it's freezing here and there's no guarantee Purdue's getting home tonight. Good maturity check to not phone this one in.
• This may be a sneaky big game — an in, importance — for Purdue's 4 men, not just because they have to guard Jamison Battle, but because Purdue generally plays through the high post vs. zones and that's usually the 4 flashing to the middle and being responsible for being the inside-out trigger man. Since Battle is a three-point threat, I do wonder if there's a game where Ethan Morton could make sense at forward for a bit.
• It's oversimplifying things to say Purdue needs to make shots, but it's gonna get good looks and if it has one of those shooting games it's capable of, Minnesota's gonna be in a really tough spot.
That's what I've got. Not the most compelling game on the schedule, but they count the same, so Purdue is gonna want to play well.
Follow along here or on Twitter at @brianneubert.
Full coverage to come tonight.
