The last game of the day comes from the Bradley Center, where the Boilers take on the Cyclones in what should be a really good contest, involving teams with contrasting styles. Tip coming up on TBS approximately 20 minutes after the conclusion of the MTSU/Butler game. The winner moves on to the Regional play in Kansas City next Thursday. Iowa State is the more athletic team with one of the best PG's in the country, Monte Morris. The Boilers will need to at least make things a little difficult for Morris, or it could be a long night. Iowa State can also get hot from the perimeter, and along with Morris, Deonte Burton and Naz Long are really going to challenge Purdue's defense.
The Boilers do have an edge inside with POY candidate Caleb Swanigan and Isaac Haas off the bench. They'll need need to work that without many turnovers to keep up with Iowa State and to also allow better looks from the perimeter. The Boilers definitely need to shore up the defensive glass, which has been a little bit of a problem lately.
I expect this to be a roller coaster game with runs from each team. Both teams are capable but also have a tendency to have lulls of their own. Purdue will need to play one of its best games of the year to move on. If Caleb Swanigan can get the same kind of help from Vincent Edwards as last game, then Carsen Edwards could be the x-factor.
One post-game Vermont Q/A some may find interesting:
If you could, talk about Carsen Edwards. To have a freshman that's that unflappable, that young, coming into an environment like this and just -- I mean granted, kind of at that time good with the bad with him, but the mindset that he has, there's no fear there. How does that rub off on his older teammates and how important is he going into the rest of this tournament?
CMP: "It's great for us. Gives us somebody that can break people down all off the dribble, can make a pull up, make a pull up 3. He gives us a different look and gives us some speed, and combined with that skill, that's a tough matchup. So when you can bring a guy like him off the bench and the experience of Spike Albrecht to go along with the size of Isaac Haas, we have a pretty good eight right there. No, it doesn't matter. It could have been an open gym game and he would have the same numbers. The environment and things around him doesn't phase him. But the thing I like about it, basketball is important and he looks forward to games like this."
Enjoy the game.
Boiler up, my friends.
The Boilers do have an edge inside with POY candidate Caleb Swanigan and Isaac Haas off the bench. They'll need need to work that without many turnovers to keep up with Iowa State and to also allow better looks from the perimeter. The Boilers definitely need to shore up the defensive glass, which has been a little bit of a problem lately.
I expect this to be a roller coaster game with runs from each team. Both teams are capable but also have a tendency to have lulls of their own. Purdue will need to play one of its best games of the year to move on. If Caleb Swanigan can get the same kind of help from Vincent Edwards as last game, then Carsen Edwards could be the x-factor.
One post-game Vermont Q/A some may find interesting:
If you could, talk about Carsen Edwards. To have a freshman that's that unflappable, that young, coming into an environment like this and just -- I mean granted, kind of at that time good with the bad with him, but the mindset that he has, there's no fear there. How does that rub off on his older teammates and how important is he going into the rest of this tournament?
CMP: "It's great for us. Gives us somebody that can break people down all off the dribble, can make a pull up, make a pull up 3. He gives us a different look and gives us some speed, and combined with that skill, that's a tough matchup. So when you can bring a guy like him off the bench and the experience of Spike Albrecht to go along with the size of Isaac Haas, we have a pretty good eight right there. No, it doesn't matter. It could have been an open gym game and he would have the same numbers. The environment and things around him doesn't phase him. But the thing I like about it, basketball is important and he looks forward to games like this."
Enjoy the game.
Boiler up, my friends.
