Purdue's 3 Keys to Success vs. Michigan State
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — With the season winding down, No. 8 Purdue finds itself playing another top-15 opponent, hosting No. 13 Michigan State on Thursday night. It's a pivotal game as both teams fight for seeding in both the Big Ten and NCAA tournaments.
Purdue has had a lot of success against Michigan State on its home floor over the last decade, winning the last seven games at Mackey Arena. But Tom Izzo's teams are always tough, and this year is no exception.
What do the Boilermakers need to do to have success against the Spartans?
Competing on the glass
Michigan State is one of the best rebounding teams in the country. The Spartans are averaging 41.1 boards per game and have a plus-12.6 differential on the glass, third-best mark in the country. Purdue must be ready for a physical battle every time a shot goes up.
To compete with Michigan State, everyone is going to have to box out and crash the glass. It starts with Purdue's big men: Oscar Cluff, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Daniel Jacobsen. Those three have to set the tone and put bodies on Jaxon Kohler, Coen Carr and Carson Cooper.
Purdue's guards also have to be prepared to swoop in and gobble up some of those boards, too. Braden Smith is one of the best rebounding guards for his size, but CJ Cox and Gicarri Harris can also contribute. It's going to require a complete team effort to battle with Michigan State on the boards.
Keeping Michigan State out of transition
The Spartans don't play with a ton of pace, but they take advantage of opportunities when they can run the floor. Jeremy Fears Jr. is the best passer (statistically) in the country and is surrounded by athleticism. Whether it's off a long rebound or a live-ball turnover, Michigan State likes to push the tempo when it has the chance.
It's how Fears and Carr are the most effective, utilizing their speed and athleticism. If there's not an opportunity at the rim in transition, Michigan State can hit a trailer like Kohler or Kur Teng for an open three-point shot.
Limiting live-ball turnovers and cutting off Carr at the rim are major points of emphasis for Purdue in this game. It's a key in nearly every game for the Boilermakers, but especially against a team with the athleticism on Michigan State's roster.
Braden Smith scoring early
When Smith is aggressive early in the game, it usually bodes well for Purdue. That's especially true against a defense as skilled as Michigan State's. The Spartans rank sixth in KenPom's adjusted defensive efficiency. A lot of that has to do with their rebounding ability, but it's also a major nod to how locked in Izzo's team is on that end of the floor.
If Smith can knock down some shots early in the game, it tends to open things up for Purdue's offense. If opponents start to key in on his scoring ability, it will allow Kaufman-Renn and Cluff to get opportunities down low. If the Spartans shut that down, Fletcher Loyer, Cox, Harris and others will have open looks around the perimeter.
Smith doesn't need to have a 20-point night for Purdue to beat Michigan State, but establishing himself as a scoring threat early will help the Boilers offensively.
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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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