In Purdue‘s first rematch of the 12 months, the Boilers should journey to Iowa Metropolis below winter advisory warnings to tackle the Iowa Hawkeyes who’re on a three-game win streak.
Iowa and Purdue performed practically two months in the past on December 4th, and Purdue dealt with the Hawkeyes 87-68 behind a 25 level Zach Edey efficiency that noticed the large man go 9 for 10 from the sector and seize 12 rebounds. He was assisted by a second half burst from Lance Jones who scored 17 factors.
It was a sport that was over earlier than the half with Purdue’s lead leaping to over 30 within the second half at Mackey Area. Matt Painter was in a position to empty his bench midway via the second half and did not look again. Edey led the way in which with 25 minutes with no starter taking part in greater than that. Ten Boilers have been in a position to play double-digit minutes.
It wasn’t even a very good capturing evening for Purdue, the Boilers made simply 8 of 25 from three, however Iowa had no reply for Purdue inside with Edey scoring within the publish and Lance Jones driving to the ring. The 2 mixed to go 13 of 15 from contained in the arc.
Iowa’s offense, usually a dependable weapon, was barely over 40% from the ground with the Boilers holding Iowa to 19 of 47 capturing together with a 6 of 18 mark from three.
Iowa has had a historical past of success previously by urgent and forcing Purdue into turnovers together with in some huge time second half comebacks, however Braden Smith and Lance Jones dealt with the press and used it to their benefit. Purdue turned the ball over simply 8 occasions whereas having 24 assists as a group. Smith led the way in which with 8 assists whereas Ethan Morton had 5 assists off the bench.
Fran McCaffery picked up an early technical foul within the first half, as Fran McCaffery tends to do.
Iowa is 11-6 on the season and 3-3 within the Huge Ten whereas #2 Purdue is 16-2 on the season and in second place within the Huge Ten with a 5-2 report. Each of Purdue’s losses have come on the highway within the Huge Ten.
Iowa is 0-5 in opposition to top-20 groups in Kenpom and does not have a win in opposition to a top-50 group this season. It’s most likely on the incorrect aspect of the bubble if the season ended as we speak and will use a signature win in opposition to the second greatest group within the nation.
Purdue has the perfect resume within the nation, however is trailing Wisconsin by one sport within the Huge Ten. It may well’t afford to provide again the sport Wisconsin gave up on the highway to Penn State this week.
Tony Perkins
6-4 | 205 lbs. | Sr.
13.9
4.1
4.2
69-145 (.476)
14-42 (.333)
Dasonte Bowen
6-2 | 183 lbs. | So.
6.1
1.7
2.6
30-68 (.441)
4-16 (.250)
Payton Sandfort
6-7 | 215 lbs. | Sr.
14.2
6.9
2.9
37-64 (.578)
46-118 (.390)
Patrick McCaffery
6-9 | 212 lbs. | Sr.
9.9
3.5
1.7
39-75 (.520)
13-47 (.277)
Ben Krikke
6-9 | 245 lbs. | Sr.
16.9
5.4
1.8
108-179 (.603)
5-11 (.455)
McCaffery has missed two of his final three video games. He missed Iowa’s win over Rutgers at residence with an sickness earlier than returning for Iowa’s 94-76 win over Nebraska at residence. Then McCaffery sat out Iowa’s win on the highway at Minnesota on Monday evening.
It is unclear whether or not McCaffery can be out there for Coach Fran McCaffery in opposition to the Boilermakers on Saturday.
McCaffery has been one in all Iowa’s most dependable weapons, a do all of it ahead that is struggled from the three-point line this season, however continues to be averaging 9.9 factors a sport.
Iowa’s resume shouldn’t be one constructed off good wins. It had a pair checks within the non-conference going up in opposition to Creighton on the highway and Oklahoma on a impartial flooring and misplaced each. It did decide up a win in opposition to Seton Hall that seemed extra spectacular earlier within the season, however Iowa has dropped each match up in opposition to a group ranked higher than them on Kenpom.
It’s on a three-game win streak although with a great win at residence in opposition to Nebraska, a Rutgers residence win, and going to a considerably harmful trying Minnesota group.
Iowa has additionally been dealt one of many hardest highway schedules within the Huge Ten to start out its season. Iowa went into Mackey Area for its first highway sport, getting smacked 87-68, however was aggressive at Wisconsin on January 2nd, dropping 83-72 in opposition to Wisconsin.
Its highway schedule does not loosen up a lot although having to additionally go to Illinois, Michigan State, Indiana, and Northwestern.
That every one mentioned, it must handle enterprise at residence and desires good wins to get NCAA Event worthy. Purdue is among the few groups within the Huge Ten that provides a resume making win at residence. Iowa has loads of incentive to try to knock off the #2 Boilers.
Purdue has proven itself vulnerable on the highway. It is the one blemish on Purdue’s resume, dropping to Northwestern to start out the season after which getting jumped by Nebraska on January ninth, simply three video games in the past.
Purdue simply picked up its first win on the highway in three years at Meeting Corridor on Tuesday, rocking the Hoosiers 87-66.
Does Purdue deliver that very same vitality to Iowa Metropolis? The climate is trying comparable it did to when Purdue went into Lincoln throughout a blizzard warning and it seemed like a group caught up within the chilly. Purdue’s offense struggled, its protection could not get stops, and it got here away with its solely double-digit lack of the season.
That mentioned, Nebraska performs Purdue robust at residence. This Iowa group, which traditionally has given Purdue turnover issues, did not have any reply for Edey, Jones, or Smith in its first contest. However at residence, Iowa will anticipate and hope to be a brand new group. Can Purdue match it coming off the emotional excessive of a rivalry sport?
Whereas Zach Edey was dominant in a approach that may have to be higher addressed than within the first match up – he was 9 of 10 from the ground for 25 factors in 25 minutes – it is likely to be extra regarding to Iowa how Braden Smith was in a position to dissect Iowa’s protection on this 12 months’s sport and final 12 months’s.
The strain that Iowa normally applies to Purdue’s guards did not get to Smith within the December sport.
As a substitute, it allowed Smith to get right into a play maker mode. Smith took simply two photographs on the sport, scoring an early reverse lay up earlier than going into distributor mode. It is a mode he prefers taking part in and he arrange his teammates to the tune of 8 assists, and much more should you contemplate the appears on the line he created for his bigs.
He had simply 1 turnover in his 25 minutes.
Iowa did not have a great reply. Tony Perkins could not keep on with him, and Dasonte Bowen and Brock Harding aren’t nice solutions for a guard like Smith who has actually solely struggled in opposition to prolonged defenders since taking on for Matt Painter as Purdue’s lead level guard as a real freshman final season.
Purdue’s success is pushed by Zach Edey down low, however Edey to some extent, and the remainder of the group, depends on Smith to create open threes, rolls to the rim, and simply to get the ball into the paint. When Smith is rolling, Purdue is unbeatable. Within the few Purdue losses unfold out over the past two seasons, a standard thread has been Smith fighting turning it over. It is a group huge difficulty that tends to show on the purpose guards stat line.
Towards Iowa this season it wasn’t the case. Fascinating to notice that final 12 months, Smith beat Iowa along with his scoring. He did flip the ball over 4 occasions in opposition to the Hawkeyes, however dropped 24 factors on a capturing evening that noticed him go 4 of 5 from contained in the arc , 4 of 5 on the three level line, and 4 of 4 from the free throw line.
When Smith is free to assault in any respect three ranges, groups don’t have any likelihood in opposition to a Purdue squad that’s firing on all cylinders on offense this season. Purdue’s now as much as the sixth greatest mark from three within the nation, pulling down 39.6% of its appears whereas being probably the most help centric offenses, with 64% of its baskets coming off an help.
Iowa may not have the ability to sluggish Edey down, nevertheless it positively cannot win if Edey and Smith are each dealing.
