Greetings from Mackey Arena, where Purdue gets another chance to snap that black eye of a streak of 13 consecutive losses to ranked opponents.
Yes, the Hawkeyes have nine of 10 toes out of the top 25, but for the time being, there's a '25' attached to their name so it'll count if Purdue can get it.
Purdue needs to get it. That streak must die - it's embarrassing considering where the Boilermakers were prior to it starting - and these are the sorts of games needed if Purdue's going to make something of this season.
Iowa is good - and has been better on the road, scoring some really big wins away from their underground fortress of a home arena - but far from unbeatable.
Rebounding is the single biggest key to this game if you ask me. Iowa is a very good offensive rebounding team with size and length all across its front line and a backup center who's as good as its starting center, again if you ask me.
The more second chances Iowa gets, the more fouls it draws and when Purdue gets owned at the foul line, it loses. That is proven.
Iowa will push the tempo. Purdue will try to play in the half court, and they'll do it with one of its biggest pieces of firepower likely limited.
Kendall Stephens is so important to the Boilermakers and might take a backseat right now only to Jon Octeus in terms of overall importance.
We'll see how he responds to injury, we'll see how his body holds up and we'll see how this all turns out. I was reminded by someone this morning that Robbie Hummel hurt his finger years ago, taped it up, and never went back, because he was more comfortable with the tape than he was without.
If Purdue can't make a three, Purdue might be screwed, and without Stephens, that's tough. Vince Edwards is not making shots right now and Dakota Mathias, I think, faces some challenges with these bulk minutes he's getting.
Defensively, transition defense is again crucial, defensive rebounding even more so. Any game Purdue gets punked out on the boards in like they did at Illinois, Purdue is going to lose, and this is an Iowa team capable of such things.
I figure Rapheal Davis is going to spend much of the game on Aaron White, but Vince Edwards will also. That's the game's most important individual matchup.
One other key to the game for Purdue: Protect your eyeballs at all costs.
Anyway, that's that. I picked up solely because I don't like how Purdue played for 39 minutes at Penn State and it's hard to look favorably at how the Boilermakers so often beat themselves at Illinois. And the Stephens thing might be crushing.
But I picked Iowa with a confidence quotient of zero, so .
We'll talk to you again after the game with our game story, post-game video, Wrap Video and blog.
Discuss the game here or wherever.
FYI: If you're a night owl, Rivals will be down for a few hours beginning at 2 a.m. ET, as we prepare for the birth of our new message board platform, so if you want to read our stuff, try to do it before 2 a.m.
Yes, the Hawkeyes have nine of 10 toes out of the top 25, but for the time being, there's a '25' attached to their name so it'll count if Purdue can get it.
Purdue needs to get it. That streak must die - it's embarrassing considering where the Boilermakers were prior to it starting - and these are the sorts of games needed if Purdue's going to make something of this season.
Iowa is good - and has been better on the road, scoring some really big wins away from their underground fortress of a home arena - but far from unbeatable.
Rebounding is the single biggest key to this game if you ask me. Iowa is a very good offensive rebounding team with size and length all across its front line and a backup center who's as good as its starting center, again if you ask me.
The more second chances Iowa gets, the more fouls it draws and when Purdue gets owned at the foul line, it loses. That is proven.
Iowa will push the tempo. Purdue will try to play in the half court, and they'll do it with one of its biggest pieces of firepower likely limited.
Kendall Stephens is so important to the Boilermakers and might take a backseat right now only to Jon Octeus in terms of overall importance.
We'll see how he responds to injury, we'll see how his body holds up and we'll see how this all turns out. I was reminded by someone this morning that Robbie Hummel hurt his finger years ago, taped it up, and never went back, because he was more comfortable with the tape than he was without.
If Purdue can't make a three, Purdue might be screwed, and without Stephens, that's tough. Vince Edwards is not making shots right now and Dakota Mathias, I think, faces some challenges with these bulk minutes he's getting.
Defensively, transition defense is again crucial, defensive rebounding even more so. Any game Purdue gets punked out on the boards in like they did at Illinois, Purdue is going to lose, and this is an Iowa team capable of such things.
I figure Rapheal Davis is going to spend much of the game on Aaron White, but Vince Edwards will also. That's the game's most important individual matchup.
One other key to the game for Purdue: Protect your eyeballs at all costs.
Anyway, that's that. I picked up solely because I don't like how Purdue played for 39 minutes at Penn State and it's hard to look favorably at how the Boilermakers so often beat themselves at Illinois. And the Stephens thing might be crushing.
But I picked Iowa with a confidence quotient of zero, so .
We'll talk to you again after the game with our game story, post-game video, Wrap Video and blog.
Discuss the game here or wherever.
FYI: If you're a night owl, Rivals will be down for a few hours beginning at 2 a.m. ET, as we prepare for the birth of our new message board platform, so if you want to read our stuff, try to do it before 2 a.m.
