Good afternoon Ladies & Gentleman. It's a Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday matinee, where the #-4 ranked Purdue Boilermakers visit the State Farm Center to take on the conference leading #17-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini. Scheduled tip is for Noon (Eastern) with television coverage on the FOX network. Granted it's still mid-January, but in light of the way Illinois is playing right now, this is a crucial must-win game for Purdue if the Boilermakers want to entertain any Big Ten regular season title hopes. Illinois is 6-0 (alone in first after Michigan State's loss this week), and Purdue sits at 3-2. A win, and the Boilers are back within a game in the loss column of the leaders....a loss, and it's a huge deficit to make up over the next 14 games.
This is seemingly always a tough match-up for Purdue, and especially so on the road. This should be one of the biggest tests of the year for the Boilers, and if they don't come out with better execution than they have in the last month or so - it could be a long afternoon. This game will showcase the three best big men in the conference - and three of the best in all of college basketball. For Illinois, Kofi Cockburn has been his usual beast in the paint. He’s averaging 21.9 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 1 block a game. He’s as dominant a force as there is in the country. Purdue has not faced anyone like that this year, but on the flip side, Illinois/Cockburn hasn't faced the challenge inside they will get today from Zach Edey and Trevion Williams. They have combined to score 28.7 points, 16.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.1 blocks a game. There's a strong possibility this match-up gets somewhat neutralized unless there is foul trouble. Zach Edey wasn't nearly the factor last year that he is this year. I could see CMP going more inside with Zach Edey and a little more perimeter with Trevion Williams to get Cockburn out of the paint some. Regardless, it should be a Battle Royale inside today with Mason Gillis and Caleb Furst also ready to join the fray.
That takes things to the perimeter, and Purdue will have to get some better production from a few of the guards. Sasha Stefanovic has had his moments, but he has also struggled at times away from home. Isaiah Thompson is in somewhat of a slump - the Boilers need him to knock down a few open ones today. Eric Hunter Jr and Brandon Newman could really help out as well......we saw some signs against Nebraska - was that just because of the Cornhuskers' weaknesses, or have the Boilers turned a corner? Jaden Ivey has been excellent for Coach Matt Painter all season, but Purdue’s perimeter defense has been a let down most the season. While Andre Curbelo is still expected to be out with an injury (although he may be in uniform), Coach Brad Underwood has plenty of experienced talent remaining on his roster. Illinois is one of the best shooting teams in the country, and Purdue has given up a lot of three pointers lately. Trent Frazier is still at Illinois (and has burned the Boilers before). Jacob Grandison is shooting nearly 50% from three. Illinois will be at home. Illinois has excelled on both ends of the floor, ranking ninth in adjusted offensive efficiency and 21st in adjusted defensive efficiency. They've also been dominant at home, going 8-1 with an average scoring margin of plus-22 points per game.
This is Purdue’s biggest challenge of the season to date (and possibly for the rest of the regular season). This is a game where Jaden Ivey can be a huge difference maker on both ends of the floor. Purdue will need that and more to come out of Champaign-Urbana with a key win. They will have to hold their own on the glass and limit the mistakes/turnovers.
In last year’s one match-up, Illinois got the best of Purdue in a 66-58 win at home, where Purdue showed some mettle but not enough to take the game. Now, a true road game in a hostile environment, against a team that can match-up in the paint and has a team of guards that can all shoot, handle, and pressure the ball. These are the games that tell you where things stand......can the Boilers get back on track in the conference race and start a surge toward March? Have they made enough progress on defense to challenge the really really good league teams.....on the road? They will need an outstanding effort to do so......we shall see shortly.
Boiler up, my friends....
This is seemingly always a tough match-up for Purdue, and especially so on the road. This should be one of the biggest tests of the year for the Boilers, and if they don't come out with better execution than they have in the last month or so - it could be a long afternoon. This game will showcase the three best big men in the conference - and three of the best in all of college basketball. For Illinois, Kofi Cockburn has been his usual beast in the paint. He’s averaging 21.9 points, 12.3 rebounds, and 1 block a game. He’s as dominant a force as there is in the country. Purdue has not faced anyone like that this year, but on the flip side, Illinois/Cockburn hasn't faced the challenge inside they will get today from Zach Edey and Trevion Williams. They have combined to score 28.7 points, 16.1 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 2.1 blocks a game. There's a strong possibility this match-up gets somewhat neutralized unless there is foul trouble. Zach Edey wasn't nearly the factor last year that he is this year. I could see CMP going more inside with Zach Edey and a little more perimeter with Trevion Williams to get Cockburn out of the paint some. Regardless, it should be a Battle Royale inside today with Mason Gillis and Caleb Furst also ready to join the fray.
That takes things to the perimeter, and Purdue will have to get some better production from a few of the guards. Sasha Stefanovic has had his moments, but he has also struggled at times away from home. Isaiah Thompson is in somewhat of a slump - the Boilers need him to knock down a few open ones today. Eric Hunter Jr and Brandon Newman could really help out as well......we saw some signs against Nebraska - was that just because of the Cornhuskers' weaknesses, or have the Boilers turned a corner? Jaden Ivey has been excellent for Coach Matt Painter all season, but Purdue’s perimeter defense has been a let down most the season. While Andre Curbelo is still expected to be out with an injury (although he may be in uniform), Coach Brad Underwood has plenty of experienced talent remaining on his roster. Illinois is one of the best shooting teams in the country, and Purdue has given up a lot of three pointers lately. Trent Frazier is still at Illinois (and has burned the Boilers before). Jacob Grandison is shooting nearly 50% from three. Illinois will be at home. Illinois has excelled on both ends of the floor, ranking ninth in adjusted offensive efficiency and 21st in adjusted defensive efficiency. They've also been dominant at home, going 8-1 with an average scoring margin of plus-22 points per game.
This is Purdue’s biggest challenge of the season to date (and possibly for the rest of the regular season). This is a game where Jaden Ivey can be a huge difference maker on both ends of the floor. Purdue will need that and more to come out of Champaign-Urbana with a key win. They will have to hold their own on the glass and limit the mistakes/turnovers.
In last year’s one match-up, Illinois got the best of Purdue in a 66-58 win at home, where Purdue showed some mettle but not enough to take the game. Now, a true road game in a hostile environment, against a team that can match-up in the paint and has a team of guards that can all shoot, handle, and pressure the ball. These are the games that tell you where things stand......can the Boilers get back on track in the conference race and start a surge toward March? Have they made enough progress on defense to challenge the really really good league teams.....on the road? They will need an outstanding effort to do so......we shall see shortly.
Boiler up, my friends....
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