In case you missed the link to their board in another thread, you can see what they think of us here. Interesting stuff.
The opponent
- Thread starter punaj
- Start date
Don’t know much about them. Based on metics they appear to be comparable to Northwestern.
They talk about raining threes but the numbers say they’d shoot only and handful per game. They also talk like their defense is pretty good and compare Edey to a big from Arkansas, Bassey. I’ve not seen him play. Anyone here? Would he compare to Edey? I find it hard to believe anyone compares to Edey.
Bassey is a 5* recruit who went to WKU. Not sure who from Arkansas to they are talking about, they have a big white guy who is ok, completely different player than Edey tho-more like a poor man's Haarms.
UNT appears to play 6-7 guys with only 1 regular who is over 6'6". They play slow and are a solid defensive team. Good thing we play in the B1G and that won't be anything new lol
Edit: this game appears very similar, to me, to the game against ODU in 2019 (we even get a chance at 'Nova lol). Low scoring affair against a defensive team.
UNT appears to play 6-7 guys with only 1 regular who is over 6'6". They play slow and are a solid defensive team. Good thing we play in the B1G and that won't be anything new lol
Edit: this game appears very similar, to me, to the game against ODU in 2019 (we even get a chance at 'Nova lol). Low scoring affair against a defensive team.
Bassey from W Kentucky is 6’11” so not comparable to Edey. Bassey did dominate them with his size in the second half. UNT jumped to a 17-0 lead against them. UNT blew the lead and didn’t score a FG until under 10:00 in the second half. Their 3 point shooting was not so good from what I saw. They are just happy to get into the tourney. W Kentucky was the best team in their conference and were upset.
So when did the tournament decide to go on Friday/Saturday with the first 2 rounds (play in on Thursday).? Was this Covid related or here to stay? I’m not a fan of this change.
Saw that too. Definitely not a fan. Hopefully they go back to the old format next year.
COVID-19 related, 4. The Final Four will still be the Saturday/Monday of the third weekend, but the first two rounds are shifted a day, and the Regional Games start Saturday through Tuesday. Mackey Arena and Assembly Hall will host the first four and some of the first round games. Starting second round, it's the four Indy sites only.
Oh yeah, forgot COVID is worst on Thursdays so they wanted to avoid that day... 🙄
And their stats..........In case you missed the link to their board in another thread, you can see what they think of us here. Interesting stuff.
https://meangreensports.com/sports/mens-basketball/stats
very senior laden team.. those always scare me, but they dont seem to have those 1 or 2 little water bug guys that score 20 points per game that have given us trouble in the past. It appears they will also struggle with our size
I think we should pretty comfortably be fine in this game barring some ridiculous off night
I also really like our chances vs Nova, I think this draw was quite good for us.
I fully expect us in the sweet 16
I think we should pretty comfortably be fine in this game barring some ridiculous off night
I also really like our chances vs Nova, I think this draw was quite good for us.
I fully expect us in the sweet 16
Not much to go on, but at least here are some of their players in action:
North Texas forum has Edey highlights from PU vs Oakland. IMO, Zach is much better now than he was then. Sure, he may still make a freshman mistake here and there, but his confidence has increased along with his experience. Not jinxing him of course LOL.
It is Covid related. I'm sure they wanted an extra day or 2 of isolation for all the teams so the potential effect might be less. Will it work out that way? Who knows.
I do expect it to go back to normal next year. This is unprecedented afterall.
Thank you greenminer
Half the fun of the Tournament is getting to know the opposing team and their fans!
Half the fun of the Tournament is getting to know the opposing team and their fans!
Here's some more. They play hard, They have a low post player (Simmons) that tries to do a lot of things that Tre likes to do. Should be a good matchup. Though our 1-2 of Tre and Zach should wear him out.
They have no idea what's coming. Zach and Tre are gonna abuse them, they haven't played bigs like this. They are going to need 50 percent from 3.
Well I mean our players fight like gladiators, so I see the connection.
I like the fact that their top player is their point guard. Our top defender just happens to be our point guard.
With our size, I find it hard to believe they have an answer. They could go 15-26 from three but I doubt they shoot a good percentage in the field house.
With our size, I find it hard to believe they have an answer. They could go 15-26 from three but I doubt they shoot a good percentage in the field house.
As a Nova fan if you told me in December Purdue would be our 2nd round opponent I would’ve thought “pfft easy game”. Well,
things change. Early season Nova, pre 25 day Covid layoff, was a very good team. Won at Texas. Looked like a Final Four team. Right as the month long layoff happened Caleb Daniels also sustained a calf injury. He started the year tremendously and has been, in a word since - BAD. Clearly still dealing with the injury. Toss in losing Gillespie, a guy the entire offense basically ran thru, and you have a very different team from early in the season. And that’s w/o discussing Justin Moore’s gimpy ankle. Jay was caught with his pants down w/ the Gillespie injury bc he waited until ‘21 to bring in another PG. Quinerly didn’t wanna share time w/ Gillespie so he bolted. Now they have a virtual walk-on playing point who never played at all until last wk. They’re just not in a great place. Sure there is still talent on the roster but beating Purdue, particularly in a virtual road game w/ no PG, would frankly shock me. Purdue has improved tremendously over the course of this year. I thought they’d be a year away from contending.
We feel your pain. We have had many seasons not end up going the way we all thought. It's nice to have others post on this board that are not IU homers/trolls.
Hi, Nova fan. Not to 'look ahead', but what are you hearing in terms of a Nova turnout at this weekend's games, particularly on Sunday if you get there? I can't imagine too many folks making the trip from out east considering the circumstances, and I don't think there is a large alumni base in Indiana/midwest, but who knows. I would surely be shocked if there are more than a couple hundred N. Texas or Winthrop fans scattered.
Problem is they know that too...at least early. Their natural D is sagging and challenging everything in the lane with the athletic people and quickness. I expect Purdue to find the passes "inside early" difficult as they will front the post and sag down to prevent pass with weakside player. Purdue needs to not turn it over throwing it away if it is not there. I expect..and this naturally is a guess that NT gives the perimeter a bit to all, but especially to those they don't think can shoot. If Purdue has patience and 1) either finds a good entry to the post or 2) has the right shot (player/area of court) early to make a few...NT will soon make a decision to see how many Purdue can make behind the arc to make those post entries easier...if they really sag at the start of the game.
As important as any of that "may" be, Purdue must contain the dribble as breaking down players and penetrating the lane is their offense. When Purdue does have the ball towards teh sideline...they need to drive them baseline and cut the court in half so they can't look both ways by getting into the lane. Purdue pays attention to the scouting report and with poise...Purdue will be fine with a somewhat normal game.
I hope Purdue has a LOT of shooting leading up to the game and Shell work on D with help and recover and closing out on shooter in anticipation of dribble drive and kick outs.
NT's best player is Hamlet , their pt guard, 6'4", scores 15 a game and 4 assists a game, has the ball in his hands 40% of the time and they run the pick and roll continuously. Our bigs have had issues with the pick and roll and Hamlet is good at it, will keep trying till he or someone gets to bucket. That is by far our biggest concern, but have a plan for that and "do our job" and we can be fine!
What’s his first step quickness like? I actually like our matchups against a pg of size. Typically. It’s the quick ones like Smith of Michigan and Walker of OSU that worry me.
Don't know how to rate him, but they are quick 1-3. Hamlet is a lefty and like all leftys I'm familiar, more left hand dominate that righty players are right hand dominant. He is bigger than Smith and appears to want to get into the lane a lot. I think he is probably not as quick as Smith or the backup guard for Iowa (C something), but does look to score more. I think Walker is every bit as quick and definitely probes the D more with dribble and passes. It seems that most their 3s are open looks...off a catch mostly either from a drive and kick out or the result of a scramble. Nobody like Washington, Trice, Carr etc. that do their own thing to get enough space to hit the 3 when covered that I could see in one game...with warning that one game sometimes is VERY misleading. Other than a catch and shoot or a penetration and dish to a big...damn near every player checks to see if air is in the ball and 1-4 want to put the ball on the court and break you down. You aren't going to see them come off screens away from the ball very often or any handoffs...all about the dribble and they may clear out or at least start sometimes with two on one side to see if they can get a breakdown to start some D rotation. Sometimes though they will start on the triangle side.
This could be a game we see a bit more Brandon and a bit less Jaden "early"...only because they really pack the lane tight and Purdue may need Brandon to create some space to get a lead and open up the post a bit in which case that makes Jaden more lethal. Kids play with poise, follow the scouting report and play within themselves...Purdue wins
Hunter is a lefty too. Should be fine guarding Hamlet.
I'm not really worried about Hamlet...Eric will do fine. However, when Eric rests and IT comes in that will need to be watched due to the height and Hamlet wanting to get into the lane. I think they have a sub around 6'2" and so they could put IT on him for D and Brandon or Jaden on Hamlet. Their center is a lefty and another guard is a lefty I think. I really think it is all about containing the dribble on D so you are not in rotations and scrambles. On O I think they will NOT guard who they want to shoot on the perimeter and use that man to double down low either digging down on ball side or helping backside. I'm not sure Purdue has to double the post, but their big may not know how to handle it either? I look for lots of sagging on Purdue's bigs as I think their D will be set to prevent entry as opposed defending after. If a shooter is feeding the post and Jaden has his man weakside sagging then they will get the ball from the wing to Tre in addition to a high low feed. If Jaden is weak side and they crowd Tre...jaden might find some passes underneath depending on whether jaden is on top or Mason is on top. I look for Purdue to be poised and expect the perimeter to be more open early than the post, but WKU never really fed Brassley like Purdue will feed Tre and Zach when able.
Thanks for the insight. So you say Daniels is just not good since the injury? What about Moore? I thought he came back to play in the BET after Wright originally saying he wouldn't play?
I still think Nova will be tough to deal with. They are still #12 in Kenpom. I know Gillespie is a HUGE loss, but so was Hummel when Purdue lost him late season in 2010. That team still made it to the S16. So I think Nova is still a dangerous team. That said, among all 5-seed teams, I'd have to say Nova is probably the best draw.
We know. It is what it is. He just didn’t wanna bide his time behind Gillespie. That’s how it usually works at Nova. I think he learned some humility in the transfer year off.
Daniels has basically stunk since the injury and getting Covid. He was a huge supporting piece early. Now he’s ceding mins to a walk-on. His explosion just isn’t there. He’s favoring the leg but they have no choice but to play him. Bryan Antoine missed ANOTHER full offseason with shoulder issues and joined the team midseason but he’s so far behind he barely plays.
