How to Watch & Game Thread: #1 Purdue vs #16 Fairleigh Dickinson

[Kyle_Holderfield]

Date: March 17th, 2023
Opponent: Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (20-15)
Location: Nationwide Arena, Columbus, Ohio
Tip-Off Time: 6:50 EST
TV: TNT
Streaming: March Madness App, NCAA App
Radio: Purdue Sports Network (96.5 WAZY if Local); The Varsity Network,
Odds: Purdue -23.5 O/U 145.5
Live Stats:  Link
Fun Facts: FDU starts the smallest lineup in college basketball, quite the contrast to the Boilermakers. They start two guards that are under 5-9. Their biggest starter is 6-6. FDU defeated Texas Southern in their play-in game. FDU is in the tournament due to an archaic college basketball rule, where a team transitioning to Division 1 basketball cannot partake in the tournament, Merrimack won their conference tournament, but cannot play due to this rule.

@Purdue Grad in Texas will have his pregame analysis, as always. Boiler Up! Win & Advance!

 

[JerseyBoiler]

Take care of business.
Come out hungry and build a 15 point halftime lead or more.
Rest our starters most of the 2nd half.

 

[Sophie1970]

Take care of business.
Come out hungry and build a 15 point halftime lead or more.
Rest our starters most of the 2nd half.

Resting our starters didn’t work too well with 6:00 minutes left against Penn St.

 

[Bruce1]

Take care of business.
Come out hungry and build a 15 point halftime lead or more.
Rest our starters most of the 2nd half.

I think a key is to come out and start strong, bury them early. Dont let them hang around and get confidence. That is something we have not done well in the tournament.

 

[PurHack]

Make a statement! Shut up the negative willy's out there!

 

[galoot]

Make a statement! Shut up the negative willy's out there!

Negative Wiily conjures thoughts of the shrinkage episode of Seinfeld

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

This evening, ladies and gentlemen, it's the #16-seed Fairleigh Dickinson Knights (20-15) against the #1-seed Purdue Boilermakers (29-5) in a Round of 64 game in the EAST Regional of the 2023 NCAA Tournament. Fairleigh Dickinson advanced out of the First Four in Dayton, defeating Texas Southern, 84-61, on Wednesday.

Expected Starting Line-ups:

Fairleigh Dickinson - Sean Moore, Ansley Almonor, Grant Singleton, Demetre Roberts, and Joe Munden, Jr.

Purdue - Mason Gillis, Zach Edey, Brandon Newman, Fletcher Loyer, and Braden Smith

Fairleigh Dickinson plays a smaller line-up and like to spread opponents out, and the Knights are capable of scoring with just about any team, as they rank 38th in the nation in scoring 78.3 points per game. FDU has six players average at least 6.5 points and at least three rebounds, led by senior guards Demetre Roberts and Grant Singleton.

Both of them produce in a number of ways, as they combine for 30.9 points, 6.7 rebounds, 7.7 assists and 3.2 steals. Forward Ansley Almonor averages 14.4 points and 4.8 rebounds and has blocked 23 shots this season. All three can shoot from outside, as all three have hit at least 60 3-pointers. Between them, they make almost 37% of their attempts from long range.

Defensively, Fairleigh Dickinson has struggled most of the year. They do, however, compete on the glass despite the lack of size. They will have an edge in quickness on the perimeter.

This is likely to be a quintessential execution game for Purdue. If they work the offense, make smart decisions, hit enough open shots, and maintain an edge on the glass, Fairleigh Dickinson will have a tall task to keep up. However, turn the ball over, miss shots like in the BTT championship game, and allow enough extra opportunities......and anything can happen.

The Knights have nobody who can match up with Zach Edey, so I expect they'll try a variety of measures/double teams on him and on the entry passers.....the more chaos they can cause, the better chance they may have. The Boilers can use some help from the bench - it will be interesting to see how David Jenkins, Jr. plays - he was really good in the BTT. Can Fletcher Loyer find some confidence? How will the Boilers hold up against some experienced guards' pressure?

The winner of this game will face the winner of the next game between Florida Atlantic and Memphis, set for the next round on Sunday.

IF they move on, the Boilers will not have an easy task in the next round. Can the Boilers start the tournament with a solid performance and build some confidence?

We shall see starting in about 90 minutes or so.

Boiler Up, my friends.

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

Negative Wiily conjures thoughts of the shrinkage episode of Seinfeld

Haha.....hey, were you in the pool having lobster?

 

[TopSecretBoiler]

For the FDU coach

 

[Longboat Boiler]

Thx Tex. Let's be aggressive from the start! Ready at the beach

 

[KentuckyBoiler]

Let’s do this Boilers!!

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

For the FDU coach

I t also helps if you're all jacked up on Mountain Dew.

 

[Zaphod_B]

Let's go Boilers!

 

[Schnelk]

Enough of the pregame. Let's go Boilers!

 

[DrEss]

Go Boilers, put the hurt on them, early and often.

 

[TX4GB]

Refs bad already

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

Wow - ok.....no call.....smh.

 

[TX4GB]

Mr Smith

 

[tenwest]

Adam Corolla?

 

[Schnelk]

General Smith on the board.

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

Mr. Smith - nice jumper! Boilers on the board.

 

[KentuckyBoiler]

Nice drive Newman

 

[TX4GB]

Of course. Broke the press though!

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

THAT's how you beat pressure!

 

[Schnelk]

Nice lay in Brandon!

 

[SIBoiler2]

So I'm in a much more favorable frame of mind than I was a week ago. 8 year old grandson had surgery early Monday morning to remove a brain tumor. MRI shows the tumor was completely removed. Path repirt says benign. Now just a lot of PT to strengthen neck. Thanks for all the prayers.

 

[TopSecretBoiler]

Bullseye Braden

 

[KentuckyBoiler]

Smith starting out strong

 

[TX4GB]

Smith 💥

 

[TopSecretBoiler]

That's an awful call.

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

Of course. Broke the press though!

Knights will be firing away.

BULLSEYE - MR. SMITH!

 

[Schnelk]

Branden hits another!

 

[TX4GB]

Nooooooo flop. Refs fell for it

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

That's an awful call.

anticipation and reactionary....sheesh.

 

[KentuckyBoiler]

Finally get a foul call

 

[TX4GB]

Midgets reaching and clawing

 

[TX4GB]

Furst on the floor. Bad pass or a drop?

 

[Purdue Grad in Texas]

C'mon Furstie - Boilers need you.

 

[mryankee2397]

playing like crap.

 

[TX4GB]

C'mon Furstie - Boilers need you.

He should dominate against these guys cmon