Good evening, everyone me, pretending to be writing this from Mackey Arena but really writing it from my office then posturing like I'm writing it from Mackey Arena. Things are different this year.
Anyway, Purdue-Valparaiso tonight. I have no reason to think the game is off! That's the first step each and every one of these game days.
I really don't have a whole lot in terms of coherent basketball thoughts, but that never stopped me before, so here are some sentences.
• Purdue is shooting really well, but deep down I betcha Matt Painter wouldn't mind his team shooting like hell in one of these games just to see how they respond. The day will inevitably come, and better to get it out of the way vs. Valparaiso probably than Ohio State or Iowa.
• That said, Purdue would love to see Trevion Williams have one of those 8-for-12, 20-point sort of nights. Maybe he just needs to see the ball go through the basket. He might have started to get antsy against Oakland amidst his struggles from the field. He took a couple that probably weren't ideal. He's got to stay aggressive, but there's a line there.
• Eric Hunter seems to be trending very well toward a return sometime relatively soon. It won't be tonight, I wouldn't think, so here's another chance for Isaiah Thompson to play well in a leading role. He's scoring well, but Purdue needs him playing well — facilities, decision-making, defending — especially while Hunter remains out.
• Would be nice from a team development perspective if Purdue came through with a really strong team defensive game. It didn't play great on D vs. Oakland, getting beat on a number of straight-line drives and then often failing to adequately help, and gave up too many offensive rebounds. That stuff will get them beat against high-major opponents if Purdue doesn't shoot 50-percent from three.
There we have it. That's definitely several sentences.
Thanks for being here, and we'll be back after the game tonight with our usual coverage, so stay tuned. I'll chip into this thread as I can and also be on Twitter at @brianneubert.
Discuss the game here or however you wish.
Anyway, Purdue-Valparaiso tonight. I have no reason to think the game is off! That's the first step each and every one of these game days.
I really don't have a whole lot in terms of coherent basketball thoughts, but that never stopped me before, so here are some sentences.
• Purdue is shooting really well, but deep down I betcha Matt Painter wouldn't mind his team shooting like hell in one of these games just to see how they respond. The day will inevitably come, and better to get it out of the way vs. Valparaiso probably than Ohio State or Iowa.
• That said, Purdue would love to see Trevion Williams have one of those 8-for-12, 20-point sort of nights. Maybe he just needs to see the ball go through the basket. He might have started to get antsy against Oakland amidst his struggles from the field. He took a couple that probably weren't ideal. He's got to stay aggressive, but there's a line there.
• Eric Hunter seems to be trending very well toward a return sometime relatively soon. It won't be tonight, I wouldn't think, so here's another chance for Isaiah Thompson to play well in a leading role. He's scoring well, but Purdue needs him playing well — facilities, decision-making, defending — especially while Hunter remains out.
• Would be nice from a team development perspective if Purdue came through with a really strong team defensive game. It didn't play great on D vs. Oakland, getting beat on a number of straight-line drives and then often failing to adequately help, and gave up too many offensive rebounds. That stuff will get them beat against high-major opponents if Purdue doesn't shoot 50-percent from three.
There we have it. That's definitely several sentences.
Thanks for being here, and we'll be back after the game tonight with our usual coverage, so stay tuned. I'll chip into this thread as I can and also be on Twitter at @brianneubert.
Discuss the game here or however you wish.
