A closer look back at Purdue's 70-64 win at Northwestern ...
BURNING NORTHWESTERN'S DEFENSE
• Purdue's bigs committed some turnovers, but they did do a nice job passing out of extra attention.
This looks like just awful defense by Northwestern, because the back-side help guy is not even in the same area code as Isaiah Thompson here. Logic suggests that player would be responsible to play 1-on-2 on the weak side and he's barely on the same side of the floor as Thompson, as all five Wildcats are looking at Edey.
If this Is by design, I don't know what that design would be.
Let's see how it turns out.
• Great job by Purdue's guards slipping Northwestern's perimeter pressure and getting to the rim against a team with no protection, and an even better job by Trevion Williams finding them.
Here Hunter slips Jeff Greer trying to deny the dribble hand-off.
Here, Purdue backscreens Casey Simmons with Caleb Furst so that Ethan Morton can dive to the basket. Tough pass by Trevion Williams and a great finish by Morton.
BOTTLING UP BUIE
Purdue — a team that hasn't always done a great job on opposing scoring guards — did a great job on Boo Buie.
From the very outset.
Buie is a little like Fatts Russell in that he'll pull right up in those high ball screens and fire.
On the Wildcats' very first possession, you'll see Zach Edey come up and take away the three as Eric Hunter goes over the screen, but recovers to get on Buie's back as he gets deep. Buie still gets off a clean runner that misses, but Mason Gillis comes over in help and draws a charge.
Three different guys doing their part there.
Great job here by Zach Edey coming out to take away the shot, but staying on his feet enough to not let Buie dart past him.
Lastly, here's just Eric Hunter doing a nice job getting through screens to contest the shot. Both Hunter and Isaiah Thompson did great jobs one on one with him.
PURDUE'S DEFENSE OTHERWISE
On Northwestern's first three possessions, the Boilermakers totaled three deflections, a steal and a block and were part of the reason the Wildcats' players were throwing the ball over each others' heads, at each others' feet or merely fumbling the ball.
Incredibly disruptive start for Purdue.
MISC
• I think Jaden Ivey was prone, especially early, to over-dribbling as Northwestern dedicated a ton of attention to him. Here you see Eric Hunter's man leaning Ivey into help against the ball screen for Ivey before Ivey puts the ball on the floor in front of the wall Northwestern built In front of him, and dribbles across the lane. Twice, he did this and bumped into Edey on Edey's roll to the basket. To Ivey's credit, he still gets a shot he can make, but just doesn't make it.
Nevertheless, probably should have just moved this off to Hunter in the corner and reset things.
One thing you have to give Ivey credit for Is that he does often show he learns on the fly and can course correct, because here's the exact flip side of the play above.
• For a team full of smart kids, Northwestern's basketball IQ is just abysmal, never more apparent than when Pete Nance gets Isaiah Thompson on his back in the post in the first half. Not only does that Elyjah Williams fellow look him off, but then Ty Berry jacks a three.
Nance does use his size advantage on Thompson to tap the rebound back out to Jeff Greer.
Now, Thompson's still on Nance, and what does Berry do? He jacks another three.
I wonder why their record in close games is so bad.
Also, hey guys, use Pete Nance.
BURNING NORTHWESTERN'S DEFENSE
• Purdue's bigs committed some turnovers, but they did do a nice job passing out of extra attention.
This looks like just awful defense by Northwestern, because the back-side help guy is not even in the same area code as Isaiah Thompson here. Logic suggests that player would be responsible to play 1-on-2 on the weak side and he's barely on the same side of the floor as Thompson, as all five Wildcats are looking at Edey.
If this Is by design, I don't know what that design would be.
Let's see how it turns out.
• Great job by Purdue's guards slipping Northwestern's perimeter pressure and getting to the rim against a team with no protection, and an even better job by Trevion Williams finding them.
Here Hunter slips Jeff Greer trying to deny the dribble hand-off.
Here, Purdue backscreens Casey Simmons with Caleb Furst so that Ethan Morton can dive to the basket. Tough pass by Trevion Williams and a great finish by Morton.
BOTTLING UP BUIE
Purdue — a team that hasn't always done a great job on opposing scoring guards — did a great job on Boo Buie.
From the very outset.
Buie is a little like Fatts Russell in that he'll pull right up in those high ball screens and fire.
On the Wildcats' very first possession, you'll see Zach Edey come up and take away the three as Eric Hunter goes over the screen, but recovers to get on Buie's back as he gets deep. Buie still gets off a clean runner that misses, but Mason Gillis comes over in help and draws a charge.
Three different guys doing their part there.
Great job here by Zach Edey coming out to take away the shot, but staying on his feet enough to not let Buie dart past him.
Lastly, here's just Eric Hunter doing a nice job getting through screens to contest the shot. Both Hunter and Isaiah Thompson did great jobs one on one with him.
PURDUE'S DEFENSE OTHERWISE
On Northwestern's first three possessions, the Boilermakers totaled three deflections, a steal and a block and were part of the reason the Wildcats' players were throwing the ball over each others' heads, at each others' feet or merely fumbling the ball.
Incredibly disruptive start for Purdue.
MISC
• I think Jaden Ivey was prone, especially early, to over-dribbling as Northwestern dedicated a ton of attention to him. Here you see Eric Hunter's man leaning Ivey into help against the ball screen for Ivey before Ivey puts the ball on the floor in front of the wall Northwestern built In front of him, and dribbles across the lane. Twice, he did this and bumped into Edey on Edey's roll to the basket. To Ivey's credit, he still gets a shot he can make, but just doesn't make it.
Nevertheless, probably should have just moved this off to Hunter in the corner and reset things.
One thing you have to give Ivey credit for Is that he does often show he learns on the fly and can course correct, because here's the exact flip side of the play above.
• For a team full of smart kids, Northwestern's basketball IQ is just abysmal, never more apparent than when Pete Nance gets Isaiah Thompson on his back in the post in the first half. Not only does that Elyjah Williams fellow look him off, but then Ty Berry jacks a three.
Nance does use his size advantage on Thompson to tap the rebound back out to Jeff Greer.
Now, Thompson's still on Nance, and what does Berry do? He jacks another three.
I wonder why their record in close games is so bad.
Also, hey guys, use Pete Nance.
