Interesting game! Can our centers match up with those monsters? This will likely be the key to the game! Fortunately,we got extra beef in the post as Sanjay,Skelly,and even Vic Law help out inside! I'm not even counting Ash off the bench who is a monster! Advantage Cats!
Pardon/Benson vs the Twin Towers? Who ya got?
- Thread starter Wrestlerneverdiesasacatfan
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It's interesting that Haas plays so little. He averages 20 minutes, and only played 13 against Nebby. They don't go twin towers very often. I thought PU made a mistake late in the game trying to pound the ball inside to Swanigan against double and triple teams. If they wanted to work inside they should have played Haas. He is deadly around the rim.
They are taller inside but we are quicker inside.....fun match up to watch.....also will be interesting to see the strategy used by both sides.....I think the key for N this year is they are like a good order of fries.....not some crispy, some soggy,,,some too crunchy........they are all just right.....you dont have to look around the plate to find a good one, you can just reach anywhere. Better example might be hash browns...think Im gonna go grab some breakfast
How did Ioa and Nebby beat these guys? What was their secret? Anything we can learn from those games?
The key once again will be Sanjay. Purdue is a bit like Indiana. They will clearly have the size advantage, but those big guys will also have to guard Sanjay. We need him to be aggressive again in beating the bigger guy off the dribble.
It also would be nice if Vic and Scottie are hot from long range again. That would go a long way to keeping us in this game until the end.
I also feel a sense of doom about Wednesday. Purdue just seems like a team that can defend us well inside and outside, and Lindsey's recent cold streak is also a concern. But Lumpkin has been able to slow down guys like Thomas Bryant and John Collins, and if Mac has another big game, we'll have a shot.
Also very worried about foul trouble for Pardon and Skelly. Having 3 forwards out for the game (including the two for the season) could be more than we can handle. I would expect more twin towers from PU for this game, which would be bad for us. They are a mixed bad on D though, so if we work the offense we could have a chance.
Foul trouble is an issue. But I don't think we'll see a ton of twin towers necessarily. Putting them both out there creates defensive matchup issues. I think Painter will maintain the usual rotation of Swanigan for most of the game, mixing in Haas and Vince Edwards. We can beat them in transition if they go with Haas too much. And honestly I think Dererk can frustrate him inside. Purdue's 1-3 rotation includes plenty of good shooters and offensive players, but generally they aren't great on defense. Carson Edwards is quick, but he's short (think like Isaiah Brown on D), our guards can elevate over him. And the other guys generally speaking aren't very quick.
So while their bigs create matchup problems for us inside, our guards create matchup problems for them on the perimeter and in transition (Pardon and Sanjay's ability to run the floor will help too). Not saying we should be favored to win, they are definitely a good team, but this is the Big Ten, we can play with them. If putting Haas and Swanigan on the floor together was all you needed for a ticket to an easy win against anyone without two 7 footers then they wouldn't have dropped 3 conference games.
Side note I know this isn't Collins's style, but I've seen Purdue's guards struggle with pressure at times (Louisville the most obvious example, but others too), and if we provide some by matching up full court at times maybe it gives them less time to work the ball into their bigs and could net us a couple easy baskets.
Double the post. Our guards rarely turn the ball over this year but our post players make some bad passes if you confuse them with doubles. Keep doubling them and keep bringing it from different places (weak-side help seems to give us the most problems) and preferably right as they start to dribble. That said if your double-team doesn't get there we are an excellent shooting team this year.
Go right at our big men on defense. Swanigan, in particular, is so conscious of not fouling that he almost escorts the guy to the rim.
Pick-and-rolls. Have one of your big men (whoever Swanigan or Haas is guarding) screen for the ball and then dive to the rim. Will probably get you a dunk/layup most of the time but if they do rotate someone will be open for an easy jumper.
What we do well:
1. Rebound. Swanigan in particular
2. Shoot. We have 5 rotation players shooting over 40% from deep. Team FG% for the season is 49%. 3 pt % 42%. FT % 76%.
3. Pass. We have one of the top assist/fg ratios in the country I believe. Our guards in particular have done an excellent job taking care of the ball and getting us good shots.
4. Not foul. At one point we were one of the tops in the country at this metric too which I believe is not necessarily a good thing as our defense has been an issue at times.
I haven't seen enough of Northwestern this year to make a good prediction in this game. We are pretty tough to beat at home although Minnesota caught us at the beginning of January. My guess would be that the two teams are fairly close and that we'll take this game and you'll take the season finale in Evanston.
"My guess would be that the two teams are fairly close and that we'll take this game and you'll take the season finale in Evanston."
Interesting trade off. For our Tourney hopes not sure if we are better staying ranked by winning this one or having the momentum of a win closer to Selection Sunday.
Interesting trade off. For our Tourney hopes not sure if we are better staying ranked by winning this one or having the momentum of a win closer to Selection Sunday.
I would take a split with Purdue in a second. I think we can / will take Maryland at home, which means we likely split 2/4 on the games against the other conference leaders. Assuming we beat Rutgers, I have to think we win at least 2 of 4 out of Illinois 2x, Mich, and @Indy. That would put us in a pretty nice spot.
And thanks to the Purdue fan for the very helpful preview post. Looking forward to the matchup.
NU's best player just was diagnosed with mono. Two other scholarship players have been out all year. Another forward suffered a sprained ankle Sunday and is probably out for a while. Total collapse not out of the running.....
I don't see it. Your teams in the past didn't have the depth to deal with adversity like this year's team does. Collins is an excellent coach, and the conference just isn't all that good this year. May be looking at 4-5 teams in the dance from the B1G. NU will be one of them.
I hear you...Purdue is also down to 8 scholarship players, and two of them are banged up. V Edwards and Haas. They will play, but not sure how effective they will be. Edwards has really struggled the past 2-3 games.
Ha.... then we won't hurt anymore of your guys if you don't hurt anymore of ours. Sounds like neither team could withstand another injury.