CHAMPAIGN, Ill. - Greetings from the Big Ten's most UFO-looking arena, the State Farm Center here at Illinois, where Purdue meets the Illini looking for its 10th win in 11 tries against these guys.
Wow, that's quite a run against a team that's had a lot of talent through that period of time.
It is going to be really difficult for Purdue to keep that going. This will be a tough environment - the Boilermakers didn't exactly wet the bed at Wisconsin, it should be noted - and a difficult matchup on the perimeter, where Illinois has three or four guys capable of going off.
This is about transition defense and poise as much as anything, and the first point is an important one, because Purdue has been a spaz collectively about getting back on defense sometimes and its own worst enemy other times. The turnover plague the last two games is reminiscent of the first weeks of the season and has to be cleaned up, pronto.
Illinois will push the ball and pursue their first good look. Purdue's attention span and effort have to be sharp.
We'll see.
And once again, Purdue has to get everything it can out of its size. Nnanna Egwu is a solid defensive center who'll make Isaac Haas and A.J. Hammons work. When he's out, though, Illinois will be guarding Purdue's big men collectively because it'll have no one man who can match up. The Boilermakers need to leverage that advantage on the boards and around the basket. Purdue has not been great this season about squeezing every ounce of productivity out of those advantages. Turnovers and missed free throws from that phase of the game will hurt them in any game, but especially tonight.
Defensively, when Egwu is out, Purdue's size might get put in some uncomfortable positions. That might be an advantage for Illinois, but an advantage Purdue will have an opportunity to trump on the glass if Illinois isn't shooting lights-out.
If they are, this may not end well for the Boilermakers.
Purdue won at Penn State, but for 39 minutes, may not have even been the best team on the floor against a team that's still looking for a Big Ten win.
If all Purdue's flaws from State College show up here in Champaign tonight, Illinois will be better equipped to turn the screws and win.
Feel free to discuss the game here or wherever else.
We'll talk to you again afterward in a partially coherent state - boo to 9 p.m. starts - with our game story, blog and Wrap Video if you're still awake. If you're not, what better way to start your day tomorrow?
I kid, I kid.
Wow, that's quite a run against a team that's had a lot of talent through that period of time.
It is going to be really difficult for Purdue to keep that going. This will be a tough environment - the Boilermakers didn't exactly wet the bed at Wisconsin, it should be noted - and a difficult matchup on the perimeter, where Illinois has three or four guys capable of going off.
This is about transition defense and poise as much as anything, and the first point is an important one, because Purdue has been a spaz collectively about getting back on defense sometimes and its own worst enemy other times. The turnover plague the last two games is reminiscent of the first weeks of the season and has to be cleaned up, pronto.
Illinois will push the ball and pursue their first good look. Purdue's attention span and effort have to be sharp.
We'll see.
And once again, Purdue has to get everything it can out of its size. Nnanna Egwu is a solid defensive center who'll make Isaac Haas and A.J. Hammons work. When he's out, though, Illinois will be guarding Purdue's big men collectively because it'll have no one man who can match up. The Boilermakers need to leverage that advantage on the boards and around the basket. Purdue has not been great this season about squeezing every ounce of productivity out of those advantages. Turnovers and missed free throws from that phase of the game will hurt them in any game, but especially tonight.
Defensively, when Egwu is out, Purdue's size might get put in some uncomfortable positions. That might be an advantage for Illinois, but an advantage Purdue will have an opportunity to trump on the glass if Illinois isn't shooting lights-out.
If they are, this may not end well for the Boilermakers.
Purdue won at Penn State, but for 39 minutes, may not have even been the best team on the floor against a team that's still looking for a Big Ten win.
If all Purdue's flaws from State College show up here in Champaign tonight, Illinois will be better equipped to turn the screws and win.
Feel free to discuss the game here or wherever else.
We'll talk to you again afterward in a partially coherent state - boo to 9 p.m. starts - with our game story, blog and Wrap Video if you're still awake. If you're not, what better way to start your day tomorrow?
I kid, I kid.
