Greetings from the bowels of Mackey Arena, where No. 2 Purdue hosts Florida State tonight. In Mackey, not the bowels.
Anyway, I know everyone would rather have Duke. Purdue wanted Duke, and ESPN woke up this morning wishing this was Duke, but what's done is done and last time Purdue had a beef with a draw in an event like this season, it lost at Marquette when it had no business losing at Marquette.
This time of year, winning obviously matters. It really matters for Purdue, in the seeding strata it figures to exist in.
But you are also wanting to improve, and with that thought in mind, it should have been happy to see Florida State on the schedule, because this is one of those experience opponents, the sort of team that makes you better by experiencing them. FSU plays its collective hindquarters off, guards and plays physically. It's a very good opponent to play pre-Big Ten, and one that could present some problems for an offense that's rolling right now, but would benefit from some resistance every now and then.
FSU being short-handed absolutely takes some of the shine off this game, but this is not one to be taken lightly.
That said, Purdue teams nowhere near as good as this one have nearly beaten Seminole teams better than this one, and those games didn't occur in the volcano that Mackey Arena will be tonight in the first big home game of the season.
If Purdue keeps sharp tonight and if Purdue responds well to FSU's presumed will, it should be fine. The script flips wholly tonight. It's now Purdue that's the deeper, more physical team and it's now Purdue that has the most talented pIayer and athlete in the building: Jaden Ivey.
Anyway, three things ...
• Take care of the ball like the game depends on it. FSU is going to pressure the hell out of Purdue's guards, challenge passing lanes and make post entries more difficult than any opponent to this point has been able to. Purdue has to do everything on offense with a purpose and avoid the moving screens that have too often affected one center or the other.
• Play through the paint first and foremost. Purdue's a great three-point shooting team, but I think this is a game you win at the rim, with Zach Edey and Trevion Williams and Jaden Ivey off the dribble. This is a great opportunity for the Boilermakers to punctuate a physical identity against an opponent that will resist. Last time these two teams played, Purdue got punked out around the basket, IIRC. This team is not as soft as that team, and this is a chance to prove it.
• Poise and patience. Most of Purdue's team hasn't played in an environment like tonight's. If they lose their minds and do silly stuff, FSU will prey on it.
That's all I got.
Thanks everybody.
I'll chip in here and be on Twitter at @brianneubert and will have complete coverage tonight.
Play nice.
Anyway, I know everyone would rather have Duke. Purdue wanted Duke, and ESPN woke up this morning wishing this was Duke, but what's done is done and last time Purdue had a beef with a draw in an event like this season, it lost at Marquette when it had no business losing at Marquette.
This time of year, winning obviously matters. It really matters for Purdue, in the seeding strata it figures to exist in.
But you are also wanting to improve, and with that thought in mind, it should have been happy to see Florida State on the schedule, because this is one of those experience opponents, the sort of team that makes you better by experiencing them. FSU plays its collective hindquarters off, guards and plays physically. It's a very good opponent to play pre-Big Ten, and one that could present some problems for an offense that's rolling right now, but would benefit from some resistance every now and then.
FSU being short-handed absolutely takes some of the shine off this game, but this is not one to be taken lightly.
That said, Purdue teams nowhere near as good as this one have nearly beaten Seminole teams better than this one, and those games didn't occur in the volcano that Mackey Arena will be tonight in the first big home game of the season.
If Purdue keeps sharp tonight and if Purdue responds well to FSU's presumed will, it should be fine. The script flips wholly tonight. It's now Purdue that's the deeper, more physical team and it's now Purdue that has the most talented pIayer and athlete in the building: Jaden Ivey.
Anyway, three things ...
• Take care of the ball like the game depends on it. FSU is going to pressure the hell out of Purdue's guards, challenge passing lanes and make post entries more difficult than any opponent to this point has been able to. Purdue has to do everything on offense with a purpose and avoid the moving screens that have too often affected one center or the other.
• Play through the paint first and foremost. Purdue's a great three-point shooting team, but I think this is a game you win at the rim, with Zach Edey and Trevion Williams and Jaden Ivey off the dribble. This is a great opportunity for the Boilermakers to punctuate a physical identity against an opponent that will resist. Last time these two teams played, Purdue got punked out around the basket, IIRC. This team is not as soft as that team, and this is a chance to prove it.
• Poise and patience. Most of Purdue's team hasn't played in an environment like tonight's. If they lose their minds and do silly stuff, FSU will prey on it.
That's all I got.
Thanks everybody.
I'll chip in here and be on Twitter at @brianneubert and will have complete coverage tonight.
Play nice.
