Basketball Opponent Pregame Glimpse: Purdue Boilermakers
Purdue Boilermakers 14-13 (7-9 in Big Ten)
Last Result: Wisconsin Badgers 69, Purdue Boilermakers 65
The Boilermakers missed an opportunity to enhance their tournament resume and instead suffered their third straight loss. The road struggles for Purdue on the offensive end continued, as the Boilermakers shot 39.7% from the field. Purdue averages nearly 78 points a contest on 48% shooting at Mackey Arena compared to an average of fewer than 60 points a game on 38% shooting on the road.
The Badgers were able to build a lead against the Boilermakers in large part due to the three ball, as Wisconsin knocked down 11 of their first 23 three point attempts to take the lead by as many as 13 with 10:21 left in the game. Purdue slowly cut into the Badgers lead and got the game as close as 61-59. The Boilermakers even had an opportunity to take the lead in the last 40 seconds, as Sasha Stefanovic missed two three point attempts, while the Boilermakers were down two. After the Boilermakers failed to tie or take the lead, they were forced to foul. Wisconsin finished the last 30 seconds of the contest, 8-for-8 from the free throw line to secure the win, giving Purdue no more chances to tie the game up. The Badgers were almost perfect at the foul line in the game, going 19-for-20.
Offensively the Boilermakers did not get much production from their starters, as four of their five starters in forward Evan Boudreaux, center Matt Haarms, guard Jahaad Proctor and guard Eric Hunter Jr. combined for just six points on 3-for-16 shooting. Point guard Nojel Eastern was the only Purdue starter who had more than two points in the contest, as he tied a season high with 14 points in the game. The Purdue bench played well, as center Trevion Williams led the team with 17 points and 12 rebounds, while both underclassman Sasha Stefanovic and Isaiah Thompson knocked down three shots from beyond the arc. The four guys who came off the Boilermakers bench in this game outscored their five starters 45-20. Purdue also was able to come up with a few extra possessions against the Badgers, as they accounted for 15 offensive rebounds. The Boilermakers have been a very good offensive rebounding team all season, as they average 12.4 offensive rebounds per game, which ranks 2nd best in the Big Ten. Even with the Purdue bench playing amazing on the offensive end and the extra shots they were able to steal due to their offensive rebounding, the Boilermakers still did not have enough offensive firepower to win at the Kohl Center.
Purdue’s defense against the Badgers was very solid, as they held Wisconsin to just 19 made field goals in the contest (12 of which were three pointers). The Boilermakers defense has been very good for them all season, as they give up just 62.3 points per contest, which ranks 20th best in the country and 2nd best in the conference. The Badgers were helped by having four players with at least 12 points in the contest. Aleem Ford made a season high five three pointers, leading the way for the Badgers with 19 points, while Brad Davison and Brevin Pritzl each had 13 points and Nate Reuvers accounted for 12 points and six rebounds in the game.
The Boilermakers had an opportunity late in the game to steal a crucial road win that would help their tournament resume tremendously in a game that they only led for a total of 16 seconds; however, despite a valiant comeback effort, Purdue managed to head back to West Lafayette disappointed, making the game against the Wolverines in Mackey Arena even more important for their tournament hopes.
Purdue’s Last Matchup Against Michigan:
January 9, 2020: Michigan Wolverines 84, Purdue Boilermakers 78 in 2OT
Despite a heroic effort from the Purdue center Trevion Williams, who had a career high 36 points and 20 rebounds on 16-for-28 shooting, the Boilermakers still fell short at the Crisler Center. Williams dominated John Teske on the block most of the night, as Juwan Howard refused to double team the sophomore big man. It seemed to be Williams night, as he even made his second three of the season on a step back contested three with the shot clock running down to give Purdue a 60-58 lead with 1:28 left in regulation. Williams also had a chance to finish off his remarkable night with a game winning buzzer beater; however, Franz Wagner made sure that didn’t happen, as he seemed to block the Purdue centers layup from behind, as time in regulation expired, sending the game into overtime.
Despite shooting 5-for-26,19.2%, from behind the three point arc through the first 45 minutes of the contest, the Wolverines kept letting it fly and knocked down two three pointers in the second overtime, one by Zavier Simpson and the other by Franz Wagner, while also holding Williams to only one point in the last five minutes of the game to ultimately come away with a crucial home win. Simpson, who did not even attempt a shot in the first 18 minutes of the game, eventually had to take over the contest and carry the Wolverines to victory. Simpson led Michigan with 49 minutes played, 22 points and nine assists on 9-for-13 shooting while coming up with clutch baskets. The Michigan captain helped the Wolverines send the game into overtime, as he made two layups in the final minute of regulation. Simpson also hit another game tying layup in overtime with 48 seconds left to send the game into a second overtime. In the second overtime, Simpson hit a three pointer to put the Wolverines up six and hit both of his free throws to help seal the win for Michigan. In total Michigan’s senior point guard scored 14 of the Wolverines final 26 points of the game. Despite playing poorly on the defensive end until the second overtime, Teske did have a nice offensive game, scoring 18 points while accounting for nine rebounds. Franz Wagner helped pick up some of the burden left by Isaiah Livers by adding 15 points for Michigan, and David DeJulius played well off the bench accounting for 11 points and six assists.
Although the Wolverines shot an abysmal 7-for-29, 24.1%, from long range in the game, their shooting percentage from the field wasn’t bad, as they shot 47.0%. Purdue shot 31.6% from three point range and 40.8% from the field, as they also accounted for 15 offensive rebounds in the contest, six of which came from Trevion Williams.
The Boilermakers got a nice boost off their bench from freshman guard Isaiah Thompson, as he scored 14 second half points. Purdue only had one other player score in double figures in the game, as Eric Hunter Jr. finished with 10 points on a poor 4-for-14 from the field and 0-for-4 from deep.
Michigan was able to prevent a third straight Big Ten loss in a tightly contested game, as neither team led by more than nine points at any point in the contest. Despite Williams' career night, the Michigan senior point guard was able to have the last laugh, as he was the hero in leading the Wolverines to victory.
Players to Watch:
Trevion Williams, Sophomore, Center
The 6-9 270 pound center leads the Boilermakers in both points per game at 11.2 and rebounds per contest at 7.6, despite only averaging 21.5 minutes per game. The reason Williams minutes are so limited is due to the fact that he rarely gets on the floor with Purdue’s other big man Matt Haarms who averages 9 points and 20.7 minutes per contest. In fact, Williams has only played over 29 minutes in one game this season, and that was his dominating outing against the Wolverines, in which Haarms was sidelined with an injury for the entire second half. Williams has been a solid player for the Boilermakers, but his 36 points against Michigan was more of a fluke game, as the Purdue center has not scored more than 18 points in any game except that one in against the Wolverines all season. Williams will certainly have to play well against the Michigan bigs for Purdue to beat the red hot Wolverines; however, the Purdue center having another 30 plus point outing seems very unlikely.
Sasha Stefanovic, Sophomore, Guard
The Boilermakers have been much better when they play at Mackey Complex, as their record is 10-3 at home, versus when they play away from home, where their record is 4-10 this season. Just like his team, Sasha Stefanovic has played much better when at Mackey Complex. Stefanovic averages 12.4 points per game on 47.5% shooting from three point range at home compared to just 6.27 points per game on 24.6% shooting from deep on the road. Stefanovic’s home-road splits are part of the reason the Boilermakers have had so much more success at home this year than on the road. In order for the Boilermakers to stop their three game losing streak, Stefanovic, who is advertised as Purdue’s best three point shooters at 37.5% from deep, is going to have to make a few threes to help space the floor for the Purdue bigs on the blocks. Luckily for Stefanovic, he will be shooting at Mackey Complex against the Wolverines today.
How do the Boilermakers play against Michigan in West Lafayette? What do you think are the keys to the game? Comment below!!!
