3 Things I'll Be Watching in Purdue's Final Exhibition Game vs. No. 4 UConn
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Matt Painter has one final opportunity to see his team in action before the wins and losses start counting. On Tuesday, the Boilermakers are headed to Hartford to play No. 4 UConn in the team's final exhibition game of the season.
Purdue has cruised through its first two exhibition games. The Boilermakers pummeled Ball State 87-55 in the first preseason contest, then knocked around Purdue-Fort Wayne 92-62 in the second matchup. UConn will present plenty more challenges than the previous two opponents, though.
There are a few things I'll be monitoring throughout Purdue's final exhibition game against the Huskies. These are a few things that stand out heading into Tuesday's contest.
How Purdue's post handles physicality
Purdue's physicality in the post has been a question all offseason long. The Boilermakers didn't get much of a challenge on this front in their first two exhibition games, but that's going to change Tuesday night. How will Daniel Jacobsen, Enzo Shahrvin, Caden Pierce, Raleigh Burgess and Jack Benter handle a tough UConn team in the post?
Rebounding will be something to watch when it comes to physicality. Purdue didn't have much trouble on the glass against Ball State or Fort Wayne, but the Huskies present a much more difficult challenge. Dan Hurley coaches a bigger, more physical and more athletic team than the Boilers saw in their two games last week.
How will the defense look in the post, too? Can Jacobsen stay out of foul trouble? Is Shahrvin's athleticism going to help with rim protection when he's on the floor? There are several things to watch when it comes to Purdue's physicality against UConn.
Pressure defense against talented guards
The defensive approach is expected to be different from what it has been in recent seasons. The Boilers will put more pressure on the ball and the guards can create more turnovers to get out into transition. What will that look like against a team that is loaded with skilled, experienced and athletic guards?
C.J. Cox, Gicarri Harris and Antione West Jr. are all extremely skilled on-ball defenders. But this group hasn't played against a unit as skilled as UConn's guards yet in exhibition play. Cox and Harris did last year, playing teams like Michigan, Illinois, Michigan State, Iowa State and Arizona.
Defense can be a strength for this year's team, at least when it comes to pressuring the basketball and creating turnovers. But can the Boilermakers fluster a team like UConn? We'll find out on Tuesday night.
Attacking the basket
Last season, Purdue struggled to get to the free-throw line. That may not be a major strength of this team, but the Boilermakers do have guards who can attack the basket and get to the rim. Will we see that against UConn?
Through two games, Purdue has already attempted more than 70 three-pointers. That indicates that this year's squad is going to rely heavily on success behind the arc. What happens when shots aren't falling at a high clip, though?
The Boilers attempted only seven free throws against Ball State and 17 against Fort Wayne. Can this be a team that gets to the charity stripe when shots aren't dropping? Or is this a squad that may live and die by the jump shot?
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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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