MILWAUKEE — Greetings from Fiserv Forum, where Purdue meets Texas with a trip to the Sweet 16 to meet Saint Peter's — yes, Saint Peter's — in Philly.
The East Bracket has fallen apart like a crunchy taco and Purdue's the top seed left, with a seemingly manageable path ahead.
This can taken two ways.
One way: Maybe it's Purdue's time. Maybe it's getting the breaks it didn't get all season now when it matters most.
Another: Maybe Purdue's next.
I mean, if Kentucky can lose to Saint Peter's and Baylor can get ousted by a North Carolina team that is only now playing like a North Carolina team, this can happen to anyone.
And there fact that it's Chris Beard today, that's either the symbolic hurdle Purdue has to get past to get where it wants to go, or it's one more layer of troll if things go sideways.
All I know is, storylines go the way a team plays, and Purdue has to beat Texas to advance.
This game could be a beast, similar to some of those other Round 2 slugfests Purdue's had to win over the years, like Washington or Iowa State.
Keep in mind, Texas is a bunch of adults, and you remember how hard Purdue had to work to beat the semipro team at Illinois twice.
The Big Ten should have conditioned Purdue well for a game like this, but Purdue lost seven Big Ten games this season so ...
Anyway, a few things ...
• Purdue's got to make great decisions with the ball. Texas is going to try to make Purdue's guards play in closets, and if you're worried about what's happened at times when Purdue's been trapped in the backcourt, now that same stuff may happen in the frontcourt. Jaden Ivey has to be as ready to move the ball as he is to score the ball, but also decisive as hell, because his best chances to get to the basket may lie in his ability to beat the help to spots.
Has Texas played anyone like Ivey this season?
• Fouls. Purdue got a friendly whistle against Yale, and this will be a physical game against a team that's going to have to be really physical on D to win. Zach Edey, Trevion Williams and Jaden Ivey are all going to be handfuls, and free throws matter a ton again today.
• Sasha Stefanovic: Oversimplification time. Purdue needs him making shots. Maybe not 5-for-5, not no 0-for-5s either. Purdue got him great looks against Yale. That won't be easy against Texas, but when they come his way, it's going to be tough if he's not connecting.
That's what I've got.
Thanks everybody.
Follow along here or on Twitter at @brianneubert and visit the site tonight for full coverage.
Deep breaths, folks. It's just basketball.
The East Bracket has fallen apart like a crunchy taco and Purdue's the top seed left, with a seemingly manageable path ahead.
This can taken two ways.
One way: Maybe it's Purdue's time. Maybe it's getting the breaks it didn't get all season now when it matters most.
Another: Maybe Purdue's next.
I mean, if Kentucky can lose to Saint Peter's and Baylor can get ousted by a North Carolina team that is only now playing like a North Carolina team, this can happen to anyone.
And there fact that it's Chris Beard today, that's either the symbolic hurdle Purdue has to get past to get where it wants to go, or it's one more layer of troll if things go sideways.
All I know is, storylines go the way a team plays, and Purdue has to beat Texas to advance.
This game could be a beast, similar to some of those other Round 2 slugfests Purdue's had to win over the years, like Washington or Iowa State.
Keep in mind, Texas is a bunch of adults, and you remember how hard Purdue had to work to beat the semipro team at Illinois twice.
The Big Ten should have conditioned Purdue well for a game like this, but Purdue lost seven Big Ten games this season so ...
Anyway, a few things ...
• Purdue's got to make great decisions with the ball. Texas is going to try to make Purdue's guards play in closets, and if you're worried about what's happened at times when Purdue's been trapped in the backcourt, now that same stuff may happen in the frontcourt. Jaden Ivey has to be as ready to move the ball as he is to score the ball, but also decisive as hell, because his best chances to get to the basket may lie in his ability to beat the help to spots.
Has Texas played anyone like Ivey this season?
• Fouls. Purdue got a friendly whistle against Yale, and this will be a physical game against a team that's going to have to be really physical on D to win. Zach Edey, Trevion Williams and Jaden Ivey are all going to be handfuls, and free throws matter a ton again today.
• Sasha Stefanovic: Oversimplification time. Purdue needs him making shots. Maybe not 5-for-5, not no 0-for-5s either. Purdue got him great looks against Yale. That won't be easy against Texas, but when they come his way, it's going to be tough if he's not connecting.
That's what I've got.
Thanks everybody.
Follow along here or on Twitter at @brianneubert and visit the site tonight for full coverage.
Deep breaths, folks. It's just basketball.
