Five Things to Know About Purdue's Next Opponent — Michigan Wolverines
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A Final Four-type battle will take place inside Mackey Arena on Tuesday night. Michigan and Purdue will go head-to-head in a highly-anticipated Big Ten clash with plenty at stake.
Michigan sits first in the Big Ten standings, leading Purdue by 2.5 games. A win for the Boilermakers would draw them within striking distance of the Wolverines, though they'd still need some help. If Dusty May's team escapes West Lafayette with a win, Purdue's hopes of winning another conference title are essentially out the window.
It should make for a fun environment on Tuesday night. But before we get to tipoff, here are some things to know about Michigan, which enters the game with a 24-1 record.
Top 5 KenPom offense and defense
Michigan is undoubtedly the most talented team Purdue has played on both ends of the floor. The Wolverines rank No. 1 in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency and fourth in adjusted offensive efficiency. They are also 11th in adjusted tempo, the fastest offense the Boilermakers have seen.
In other words, there is no break when playing Michigan. Dusty May's team makes life miserable on both ends of the court. They wear you down with their tempo offensively and suffocate you on the defensive end.
Player of the Year candidate
Yaxel Lendeborg was one of the biggest transfer acquisitions of the offseason and he's playing like a National Player of the Year candidate. The 6-foot-9 forward is a tough matchup for anyone on the floor, averaging 14.4 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 1.4 blocks and 1.2 steals per game. He's been spectacular in every facet of the game.
His combination of size, mobility and athleticism makes him a matchup nightmare. Very few teams have been able to contain Lendeborg this season, scoring in double figures in 19 of Michigan's 25 games.
Lendeborg gets a lot of his buckets in the painted area, so roping that off will be a critical for Purdue's success. He does have the ability to shoot from the perimeter, but the senior is just a 29.8% three-point shooter.
Hard to match Michigan's length
What makes Michigan such a tough matchup is its elite size and length. Lendeborg stands 6-foot-9, Aday Mara is 7-foot-3, Morez Johnson Jr. is listed at 6-foot-9 and Will Tschetter is 6-foot-8. The Wolverines have used that size to their advantage on the defensive end, averaging 6.1 blocks per game, which ranks third in the country. That is primarily led by Mara, who is recording 2.8 blocks per contest.
Michigan also uses its size and physicality on the glass. It is one of the top rebounding teams in the country, averaging 41.6 boards per contest with a differential of plus-9.8 per game. Three guys — Lendeborg, Mara and Johnson — are all averaging more than seven rebounds per game.
Because of their size advantage on the interior, Michigan forces teams to shoot longer shots. Opponents are making 37.1% of their attempts from the floor and only 29% from three-point range.
Second-highest margin of victory in the country
Michigan isn't just beating teams this season, it's pummeling them. The Wolverines have an average margin of victory of 22.2 points per game, the second-highest in the country (St. Louis). Everyone saw how skilled this team was in the Players Era Festival in November, when it defeated San Diego State 94-54, Auburn 102-72, and Gonzaga 101-61.
The Wolverines are 14-1 in the Big Ten and have won 12 of those games by double digits. May's team has had a lot of success because of its post presence and dominating the paint, but it's also getting outstanding guard play and has a solid nine-man rotation.
Contributions from Trey McKenney, Elliot Cadeau, Nimari Burnett, LJ Cason and Roddy Gayle Jr. — all averaging 7.6 points per game are more — make this team so difficult to stop.
Turnovers are the biggest concern
If you're looking for a weakness, it's the fact that Michigan still has a relatively high turnover rate, at least on a per-game basis. The Wolverines are turning the basketball over more than 12 times per game, a result of their fast tempo.
For Purdue to have success against the Wolverines, it has to take advantage of these opportunities, especially in live-ball situations. Obviously, the turnovers haven't really hurt Michigan this season, but it's an area where the Boilermakers can capitalize.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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