No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 11 Texas Breakdown: 3 Ways Boilers Can Beat Longhorns
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The Sweet 16 has arrived, and No. 2 seed Purdue is looking to continue its season with a win over No. 11 seed Texas. The Longhorns may have barely squeaked into the NCAA Tournament, but they're playing extremely well right now. The Boilermakers must be ready from the opening jump.
Texas is a team that can pose some problems for Purdue because of its size and length. The Boilers have dealt with this before though, and found ways to beat teams like Michigan, Miami and others.
What will it take for Purdue to advance to the Elite Eight? Here are a few keys to the game.
Don't allow Texas to live in the paint
One of the key principles for Matt Painter's team is to keep opponents out of the paint. That's especially important in Thursday night's game against Texas. The Longhorns are at their best when they get two feet in the painted area and can score at the rim or kick out for open threes.
Swain is the one who can do a lot of damage because of his ability to drive to the basket and finish at the rim. It's important for Purdue's perimeter defenders to stay in front of him and not allow easy looks.
Eliminating open opportunities for Matas Vokietaitis will be important, too. He's averaging 15.7 points per game and shooting nearly 62% from the floor. The 7-footer can cause some problems in the post.
Texas is averaging 36 points per game in the paint this season. When the Longhorns score 40 points or more in the paint, they are 9-3. Keeping them out of the lane will increase Purdue's chances of winning dramatically.
Limit the turnovers
Purdue really had some trouble in this department in last weekend's second-round game against Miami. The length, athleticism, and defensive pressure forced the Boilermakers into some bad decisions. They ended the game with 12 turnovers, which the Hurricanes turned into 13 points.
Texas doesn't force a ton of turnovers, but it is so athletic that, if it gets live-ball turnovers, those are almost automatically two points every time down the floor. The Boilers can't allow the Longhorns to get easy buckets in transition.
Braden Smith had some turnover issues in the last game against Miami, finishing the game with eight. He must make better decisions and keep Purdue's turnover number low.
Get quality minutes from the bench
Depth has been an asset for Purdue all season long. With C.J. Cox battling an injury, the bench may be called upon a little more frequently than in the Sweet 16. It's imperative that Gicarri Harris, Jack Benter and Omer Mayer provide good minutes for the Boilermakers.
Harris did an excellent job on the defensive end after Cox left last weekend's game with a knee injury. Benter has provided quality minutes all year long, primarily through his effort, though he can also knock down shots. Mayer has also done an excellent job providing relief for Smith when it comes to handling the ball and running the offense.
Purdue's seniors and starters have carried a majority of the weight through the first two rounds. But in the NCAA Tournament, you have to be able to rely on your role players at some point. On Thursday, Harris, Mayer and Benter need to be ready to go.
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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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