3 Keys to Victory For Purdue in Season Opener vs. No. 15 Gonzaga
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Purdue begins its 2026-27 season on Monday night, playing one of the premier programs in college basketball. The Boilermakers will have their hands full in Las Vegas, battling No. 15 Gonzaga in the Hall of Fame Series to begin the year.
Getting a win and starting the year 1-0 won't be easy for Purdue. This is a talented Gonzaga team that returns two of its top-four scorers from last season and brought in talent from overseas and the transfer portal.
How can the Boilers open the season with a win over a ranked opponent? Let's jump into a few keys to victory for the game.
Keep Gonzaga out of transition
I am essentially stealing this one from Matt Painter, who was complimentary of Gonzaga's ability to push the pace and score in transition. The Bulldogs have great length and athleticism all over the court, and Purdue can't allow them to get easy baskets.
To keep Gonzaga out of transition, Purdue must limit its turnovers, especially live-ball turnovers. The Bulldogs have excellent guards in Davis Fogle, Nathan De Sousa and Xaivian Lee who can pressure the ball and force turnovers. Braden Huff is a big man who can move extremely well.
Minimizing turnovers is a key for Purdue in every game, but it's particularly important against a team that thrives in transition.
Shoot 35% or better from three
We've already learned that Purdue will rely heavily on the three-point shot this season. In the three exhibition games, they averaged more than 32 attempts per game. The Boilermakers knocked those shots down in games against Ball State and Purdue-Fort Wayne, but struggled against UConn.
Purdue has multiple three-point weapons on the floor at all times. C.J. Cox, Gicarri Harris, Omer Mayer, Luke Ertel, Jack Benter and Antione West Jr. can all knock down shots from the perimeter.
For Purdue to have success behind the three-point line, its ball movement must be better than it was against UConn. The Boilers also need to take open looks and not settle for contested shots. Assuming they attempt a high-volume of three-pointers again, they need to convert at a respectable clip.
Daniel Jacobsen staying out of foul trouble
One of the takeaways from Purdue's loss to UConn in the exhibition game was the play of Daniel Jacobsen. He didn't fill up the stat sheet in Hartford, but the Boilermakers were much better on the defensive end with him on the floor.
Gonzaga has great size and can attack the basket. Jacobsen can still try to erase shots, but he needs to be disciplined and stay out of foul trouble. He doesn't have to swat at every shot, simply using his 7-foot-4 frame to alter shots at the rim can have a major impact.
Purdue needs Jacobsen to stay on the floor. He can be a scoring threat on the low post and helps tremendously on the defensive end. If he finds himself in foul trouble, it could be a long night for the Boilers.
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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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