No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 1 Arizona: 3 Keys to Boilers Beating Wildcats
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A spot in the Final Four is at stake on Saturday in San Jose. No. 1 seed Arizona and No. 2 seed Purdue will battle in the Elite Eight, with the winner's season extending for another week.
Arizona's size and athleticism will cause some problems for Purdue, but the Boilermakers have played plenty of talented teams throughout the season. They have also defeated plenty of quality opponents, including Michigan, Alabama, Iowa, Nebraska, Miami, Texas and others.
But Purdue may need its best performance of the year to get a win on Saturday against Arizona. What do the Boilers need to do to emerge victorious? Well, they need to do a lot, but here are a few keys to success.
Clog the paint defensively
Arizona's offensive game plan isn't a secret. The Wildcats love to get the ball into the paint, whether that's through post-ups or driving to the basket. This is an explosive team with plenty of size and athleticism that has feasted on opponents by getting into the paint and operating at a high level.
Purdue's defense can't allow Arizona to operate cleanly in the paint frequently. That means Oscar Cluff and Trey Kaufman-Renn are going to have to do their work early and push Arizona's bigs outside the lane. The perimeter defenders have to keep guys in front of them and find themselves trailing.
It's much easier said than done, but it's a key component to Purdue getting a win. If the Boilers can force Arizona to shoot mid-range shots or attempt three-pointers, they will help their chances drastically.
Don't pass up open three-point shots
Purdue's offense has operated at a high level all season, having the most efficient offense in the country, per KenPom. Matt Painter's team knows how to get open looks at the basket.
There's no need to be hesitant on Saturday evening. Because of Arizona's length, Purdue may only get one good look at the basket on each possession. It's imperative that the Boilermakers take advantage of those opportunities.
Fletcher Loyer and C.J. Cox often have quick triggers and are rarely bashful to shoot. That has to be the mindset across the board. Jack Benter, Gicarri Harris and Omer Mayer also have to be ready to shoot when they're open. It may be the best look they get.
Be physical without fouling
Because Arizona has such elite athleticism, the Wildcats love to drive to the basket and take on contact to get to the free-throw line. No team in the country attempts more free throws per game than Arizona, averaging 27 per contest. They convert at a 73% clip, too.
Jaden Bradley, Koa Peat, Brayden Burries and Motiejus Krivas are all averaging more than 4.3 free throw attempts per game.
Not only can Purdue not afford to send Arizona to the charity stripe, but Kaufman-Renn and Cluff can't get into foul trouble. If those two have to be sidelined, the Boilers will have no formidable size, killing their chances at keeping the Wildcats out of the paint and really hurting their chances on the glass.
Cluff and Kaufman-Renn must wall up around the basket and can't pick up silly fouls. They still have to make life difficult for Arizona and set the tone physically, especially against a high-quality rebounding team.
Without question, this will be the most challenging game Cluff and Kaufman-Renn have played this season.
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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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