PSU Fan Here (I come in peace!)

[lattydaddy]

Looking forward to playing you guys again - we had a great game in Happy Valley this year.

I haven't followed you guys too much since we played, but am impressed at your record. What's the skinny on your team? What are some keys for you guys in this one / how have you been playing down the stretch?

Is there a sense that you guys will be in the NCAA tourny regardless of tomorrow's outcome? We're playing to get into the NIT (a win tomorrow might get us in), but we should be pretty tired our 3rd game in a row.

Good luck to you guys! Hopefully not too much luck though

This post was edited on 3/12 10:21 PM by lattydaddy

 

[TwinDegrees2]

Originally posted by lattydaddy:
Looking forward to playing you guys again - we had a great game in Happy Valley this year.

I haven't followed you guys too much since we played, but am impressed at your record. What's the skinny on your team? What are some keys for you guys in this one / how have you been playing down the stretch?

Is there a sense that you guys will be in the NCAA tourny regardless of tomorrow's outcome? We're playing to get into the NIT (a win tomorrow might get us in), but we should be pretty tired our 3rd game in a row.

Good luck to you guys! Hopefully not too much luck though

This post was edited on 3/12 10:21 PM by lattydaddy

Be careful...one of our ol' grumps will tell you to take it back to the PSU board.

Personally, you guys are playing on heart, and winning the close one's instead of losing them like you did during the season. While I enjoyed watching you win yesterday and today, I think your run is over.....but I think you're going to be pretty good next year.

 

[lattydaddy]

Originally posted by TwinDegrees2:

Originally posted by lattydaddy:
Looking forward to playing you guys again - we had a great game in Happy Valley this year.

I haven't followed you guys too much since we played, but am impressed at your record. What's the skinny on your team? What are some keys for you guys in this one / how have you been playing down the stretch?

Is there a sense that you guys will be in the NCAA tourny regardless of tomorrow's outcome? We're playing to get into the NIT (a win tomorrow might get us in), but we should be pretty tired our 3rd game in a row.

Good luck to you guys! Hopefully not too much luck though

This post was edited on 3/12 10:21 PM by lattydaddy

Be careful...one of our ol' grumps will tell you to take it back to the PSU board.

Personally, you guys are playing on heart, and winning the close one's instead of losing them like you did during the season. While I enjoyed watching you win yesterday and today, I think your run is over.....but I think you're going to be pretty good next year.

I can't take it back to the PSU board. The mod gave me a 10 day ban for saying "FINALLY ross travis has a nice game!" they're very sensitive to anything that's not kissing Chambers' rear end.

What makes you think PSU will be good next year? We lose Newbill, which is a major loss, and losing Travis doesn't help too much, although he never maximized his potential.

 

[septimusharding]

Originally posted by lattydaddy:
Looking forward to playing you guys again - we had a great game in Happy Valley this year.

I haven't followed you guys too much since we played, but am impressed at your record. What's the skinny on your team? What are some keys for you guys in this one / how have you been playing down the stretch?

Is there a sense that you guys will be in the NCAA tourny regardless of tomorrow's outcome? We're playing to get into the NIT (a win tomorrow might get us in), but we should be pretty tired our 3rd game in a row.

Good luck to you guys! Hopefully not too much luck though

This post was edited on 3/12 10:21 PM by lattydaddy

Welcome. I have a soft spot for basketball fans at football schools. I imagine being a PSU basketball fan is like being a Purdue football fan.

As far as our NCAA prospects, they're decent, barring a lot of bid thieves from small conferences. I think it probably is important for us to avoid a bad loss, which makes tomorrow's game important. In fact, I don't think losing to PSU would be a horrible loss, but with your guys' conference record and low seed, it would probably be perceived as bad. A loss wouldn't kill our chances, but it would make everyone awfully nervous come Sunday.

As far as the state of our team, I think the biggest difference between our team now and our team in January is on the defensive end. Raphael Davis was recently named B10 defensive player of the year, and he has been huge for us this season often guarding the other team's best offensive player. The matchup between him and Newbill will be key.

One other big change has been Dakota Mathias replacing Kendall Stephens in the starting lineup. Both are three-point threats, but I think the general impression is that Mathias has been more a bit more sure-footed in the motion offense, avoiding bad turnovers and lazy passing which have been a problem with Stephens.

As far as game plan, I would expect that we try to make Newbill inefficient. Shutting him down is probably out of the realm of possibility, but we certainly better keep him under 37 (what he scored against us in Happy Valley). Or if he does score 37, make sure it takes him 40+ shots to get there!

And if all else fails, maybe we'll take a page from the Maryland and OSU playbooks, and capitalize on the truly stellar quality of B10 officiating by drawing "fouls" on you guys by elbowing you in the face and pulling you to the ground.

 

[312_Purdue]

Earlier today, I would have said the outcome was pretty important to Purdue's chances to get in to the tournament. A win (any win, had it been Iowa or you) and we're in. No question. And if Iowa had advanced, we'd probably still be in with a loss because it wouldn't be a bad loss.

But then you upset Iowa and (no offense) losing to Penn State would be a bad loss for us (from a numbers perspective). That might have been enough to cost us a bid,

But now .... almost every team in the bubble discussion LOST today. No one with a real opportunity to knock us out is alive any longer. So I now think we're in, win or lose. But its not certain. We're still one of the last 6 in, I think. So the margin is pretty thin even with every one else crapping the bed today.

All that being said, I can assure you the talk in the Purdue locker room is that this is a play-in game for the tournament. I'll refrain from making any predictions in your thread, since you come in peace, but I think (hope) we'll be playing as if our tournament life depended on it.

 

[proudopete]

I don't buy this at all.

If you listen to the players, they are in Chicago to win "this" tournament and concentrate on one game at a time.

I don't want this team to worry about the NCAA tourney. I want them to focus on winning whoever it is we play next.


I'm not happy it's PSU as it opens the possibility of another bad loss, and it would be. But we need to keep winning until there is no other opponent left. Simple as that.

 

[BoilerBiker]

We always seem to struggle a bit vs Penn st and were fortunate to win the last meeting. We can somewhat shut down a scorer like newbill, but another seems to emerge.

The team shouldn't look ahead, but we can - would love a rematch vs wiscy
Posted from Rivals Mobile

 

[lattydaddy]

Thanks for the remarks, guys.

You can make a prediction, I won't be insulted! I'd be curious to hear what you guys think about our coaching after today's game. I am of the mindset (as are a lot of fans) that we don't have any plays or motion in our offense. It's mostly isolate DJ at the top of the key and have him go 1 on 5. Sometimes a big will come up and set a screen, but you never see someone under the bucket setting a screen for a guy trying to get open without the ball.

I think if we get some offense out of our 4/5 positions, Purdue could be in trouble. But if our "bigs" can't score (which has happened all too often) then it should be an easy ride for Purdue.

 

[lattydaddy]

And yeah, being a PSU hoops fan absolutely sucks the life out of you. I guess it's kind of similar to being a Purdue football fan. Although I think it's probably easier to turn around a basketball program (like 12 scholarships) vs football (like 85). A few recruits in basketball can help turn it around where in football it takes a lot more. Many folks love Chambers' ability to draw in recruits that we haven't consistently got, with his strong ties to Philadelphia, but it's going to take a few good recruiting classes strung together. And more importantly, solid development once these kids get in the program, which we haven't gotten any of from our bigs with Chambers. The jury is still out on him - I like a lot of things about him, but he leaves some things to be desired.

 

[psuguy43]

Truth be told...

With a win, PSU would have an RPI in the 80s. By the numbers, it would no longer be a 100+ RPI loss for you. It would bee a loss, but not as impactful as it would have been 3 games ago,

 

[mathboy]

Originally posted by lattydaddy:
Thanks for the remarks, guys.

You can make a prediction, I won't be insulted! I'd be curious to hear what you guys think about our coaching after today's game. I am of the mindset (as are a lot of fans) that we don't have any plays or motion in our offense. It's mostly isolate DJ at the top of the key and have him go 1 on 5. Sometimes a big will come up and set a screen, but you never see someone under the bucket setting a screen for a guy trying to get open without the ball.

I think if we get some offense out of our 4/5 positions, Purdue could be in trouble. But if our "bigs" can't score (which has happened all too often) then it should be an easy ride for Purdue.

My prediction:

I look for a close game in the first half. Newbill will be limited, but will score. I expect Purdue to open the second half with a scoring sprint, pulling out to a 10-15 point lead. PSU will chip away at it, but the last three days will finally impact their legs and they fall short in a valient effort. I expect our inside/driving game in the paint to generate fouls if the PSU guys reach or lean. Playing defense with your feet is a fatigue factor, and you may see PSU with a lot of fouls on their front line. Fair fouls, but fouls none the less.

I hope for no more shitty calls on either of our teams. I would like a nice, cleanly called game where nether team has an advantage in poorly called fouls.

 

[lattydaddy]

Re: Truth be told...

Originally posted by psuguy43:
With a win, PSU would have an RPI in the 80s. By the numbers, it would no longer be a 100+ RPI loss for you. It would bee a loss, but not as impactful as it would have been 3 games ago,

Hey 43, ask the mods what's up and why I got a 10-day ban at BWI in yesterday's basketball threads. I said nothing inflamatory whatsoever.

 

[rgarlitz]

Purdue did a pretty good job on everyone not named DJ Newbill when the teams last played in State College. So I think we have to start to holding him to a low percentage and keeping him off the free throw line.

My keys to the game for Purdue:

1) Contain Newbill and Taylor. Force someone else to make plays. Maybe PSU has another guy who can go nuts on us, but I'm sure Purdue coaches would rather deal with that than see Newbill and Taylor scoring at will.

2) Pound the ball inside, and get Octeus and Basil to drive at the rim. It made a HUGE difference when Donovon Jack and Dickerson fouled out in State College. Getting those two guys in early foul trouble probably means a big day for AJ Hammons and/or Isaac Haas.

3) Take care of the ball. Turnovers have been and on-again-off-again problem all year. Purdue had 16 turnovers in State College; let's keep it under 10 today. That means you, Bryson Scott and Kendall Stephens.

4) Dominate the glass. Purdue didn't really do that in State College.

5) Be judicious with the 3-point shot. I know Stephens had a big day in State College, but keep hammering at the interior until #5 and #32 have to take a seat.

 

[lattydaddy]

Originally posted by rgarlitz:
Purdue did a pretty good job on everyone not named DJ Newbill when the teams last played in State College. So I think we have to start to holding him to a low percentage and keeping him off the free throw line.

My keys to the game for Purdue:

1) Contain Newbill and Taylor. Force someone else to make plays. Maybe PSU has another guy who can go nuts on us, but I'm sure Purdue coaches would rather deal with that than see Newbill and Taylor scoring at will.

2) Pound the ball inside, and get Octeus and Basil to drive at the rim. It made a HUGE difference when Donovon Jack and Dickerson fouled out in State College. Getting those two guys in early foul trouble probably means a big day for AJ Hammons and/or Isaac Haas.

3) Take care of the ball. Turnovers have been and on-again-off-again problem all year. Purdue had 16 turnovers in State College; let's keep it under 10 today. That means you, Bryson Scott and Kendall Stephens.

4) Dominate the glass. Purdue didn't really do that in State College.

5) Be judicious with the 3-point shot. I know Stephens had a big day in State College, but keep hammering at the interior until #5 and #32 have to take a seat.

You don't have to worry about Taylor scoring. He's an awful three point shooter, despite hoisting an alarming amount of shots from beyond the arc. He has no dribbling skills, and is hobbled by a bum knee, not that he could drive to the hoop anyway. At this point he's just a spot up 3 point shooter and an awful one at that.

I saw somebody up top say "we did a good job on Newbill last game" or something to that effect, but I'm pretty sure he dropped like 37 in that game, no?

Newbill will get his 20-30, but what Purdue really needs to do is prevent someone else from going off for 20. The only other 2 guys capable of going off for 20 are Thorpe and Garner, but they are both pretty inconsistent. Travis is a very poor offensive player, despite great athleticism, but he's been scoring 10-15 the last 3 games (coincides with our 3 game winning streak...surprise surprise). Purdue can afford to have 2 of the following have good games: DJ, Thorpe, Garner, and Travis, but certainly not 3.

 

[Fan4Life]

lattydaddy - I'm glad Purdue won't have to face PSU again this year! What a tough matchup.

Great game!