Greetings from Mackey Arena, where Purdue fans get to boo Brad Davison for the last time.
No. 3 Purdue hosts No. 24 (right?) Wisconsin as Big Ten re-opens.
It's go time for Purdue now. No more figuring things out as they go. This has to be destination, not the path, because the games all matter a lot now, and a team that could afford to take some things for granted up to this point, now must not. The Boilermakers are already in a game hole in the Big Ten race because of the Rutgers loss — and Northwestern and Nebraska couldn't quite help them out on Sunday — and though it's a long, long season, margin for error doesn't need to be exercised.
Games like tonight are musts.
Wisconsin looks good on paper, based on its body of work, but I don't know how much upside this team has. They found a way to win earlier in the season, and that's kind of Wisconsin's thing — finding a way. But they're not terribly athletic, they're not all that big, and they're not shooting very well this season. When they went to Ohio State for their first Big Ten road game, they got KO'd. Right now, I think they've probably also been disrupted pretty good by the COVID brouhaha.
I also think you see a real edge from Purdue tonight. I do think that subconsciously they've been on cruise control since the Butler game, waiting for this.
Couple things ...
• It's time for Purdue to get serious on D. I don't want to sound condescending when I say that, but the Purdue you saw against Butler was the Purdue Purdue will need to be to win the Big Ten.
They need to be disciplined, prepared, cohesive and communicative. They need to be detail-oriented with the scouting report and not rely on their offense, because stuff changes now. Purdue's gotta be able to win 67-62 when the 90s aren't attainable.
• Officiating is going to matter as much as ever for Purdue, or better said, Purdue's response to officiating.
Jaden Ivey is going to take a ton of contact, and Zach Edey will also. That says nothing of Trevion Williams. Now that there are crowds again, human nature again looms for officials. Not an issue tonight, but will at some point.
Purdue's ability to get people in foul trouble and fast-track the bonus should be on par with those Caleb Swanigan-Isaac Haas teams it has to be an advantage.
Meanwhile, the bigs need to be as sound as ever with their screens and their bull-in-a-china-shop stuff on the glass.
• Offensive rebounding now can become an even bigger asset for Purdue, as these become lower-possession, more halfcourt-oriented games. The rebounding advantage won't be as stark against Big Ten teams, but every renewed possession may matter a little more.
That's what I've got.
Follow along here in this thread or on Twitter at @brianneubert
Full coverage afterward.
No. 3 Purdue hosts No. 24 (right?) Wisconsin as Big Ten re-opens.
It's go time for Purdue now. No more figuring things out as they go. This has to be destination, not the path, because the games all matter a lot now, and a team that could afford to take some things for granted up to this point, now must not. The Boilermakers are already in a game hole in the Big Ten race because of the Rutgers loss — and Northwestern and Nebraska couldn't quite help them out on Sunday — and though it's a long, long season, margin for error doesn't need to be exercised.
Games like tonight are musts.
Wisconsin looks good on paper, based on its body of work, but I don't know how much upside this team has. They found a way to win earlier in the season, and that's kind of Wisconsin's thing — finding a way. But they're not terribly athletic, they're not all that big, and they're not shooting very well this season. When they went to Ohio State for their first Big Ten road game, they got KO'd. Right now, I think they've probably also been disrupted pretty good by the COVID brouhaha.
I also think you see a real edge from Purdue tonight. I do think that subconsciously they've been on cruise control since the Butler game, waiting for this.
Couple things ...
• It's time for Purdue to get serious on D. I don't want to sound condescending when I say that, but the Purdue you saw against Butler was the Purdue Purdue will need to be to win the Big Ten.
They need to be disciplined, prepared, cohesive and communicative. They need to be detail-oriented with the scouting report and not rely on their offense, because stuff changes now. Purdue's gotta be able to win 67-62 when the 90s aren't attainable.
• Officiating is going to matter as much as ever for Purdue, or better said, Purdue's response to officiating.
Jaden Ivey is going to take a ton of contact, and Zach Edey will also. That says nothing of Trevion Williams. Now that there are crowds again, human nature again looms for officials. Not an issue tonight, but will at some point.
Purdue's ability to get people in foul trouble and fast-track the bonus should be on par with those Caleb Swanigan-Isaac Haas teams it has to be an advantage.
Meanwhile, the bigs need to be as sound as ever with their screens and their bull-in-a-china-shop stuff on the glass.
• Offensive rebounding now can become an even bigger asset for Purdue, as these become lower-possession, more halfcourt-oriented games. The rebounding advantage won't be as stark against Big Ten teams, but every renewed possession may matter a little more.
That's what I've got.
Follow along here in this thread or on Twitter at @brianneubert
Full coverage afterward.
