First Look: Purdue's first and possible second round opponents

After Purdue won four games in four days to win the Big Ten Tournament, it quickly will pivot to prepare for the NCAA Tournament.

The two-seed Boilermakers learned their fate shortly after downing Michigan on Sunday. Purdue will travel to St. Louis for the opening weekend, where 15-seed Queens awaits.

15-SEED QUEENS ROYALS 21-13 (13-5 ASUN)

Queens schedule/results | Queens roster | Queens stats

For the first time in school history, Charlotte, NC-based Queens will play in the NCAA Tournament. And, it will be for the final time, as Queens University will merge with Elon University ahead of next academic year.

The Royals won the Atlantic Sun Tournament, needing overtime to supplant Central Arkansas and earn the automatic bid to the Big Dance. Queens finished third in the conference in the regular season, entering the NCAA Tournament with a 21-13 record and finishing 13-5 in league play.

Offense propelled Queens to this point. Per KenPom, the Royals rank 15th in the country in effective field goal percentage. They shoot 59% from two-point range and a respectable 36% from three. Nearly 47% of Queens’ shots come from long range.

Balanced scoring helps the Royals, as six players average between 10 and 13 points per game. 6-5 senior guard Nasir Mann leads the team in scoring and rebounding, playing more of a slasher role. Mann shoots 32% from distance. Valparaiso transfer Carson Schwieger shoots 41% from three on high volume, and 6-6 Israeli guard Yoav Berman uses his size effectively to score.

The defensive metrics don’t favor Queens. KenPom’s algorithm places the Royals 322nd nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency. Queens allows offensive rebounds at a high clip, doesn’t force many turnovers and allows opponents a 54% effective field goal percentage.

Queens will look to push the tempo, as it plays at one of the nation’s fastest paces on offense. But, since it doesn’t force many turnovers, opponents tend to hold the ball for longer when on offense.

Coach Grant Leonard is in the NCAA Tournament for the first time as a head coach, and he’s in his fourth season in Charlotte.

7-SEED MIAMI HURRICANES 25-8 (13-5 ACC)

Miami schedule/results | Miami roster | Miami stats

First-year head coach Jai Lucas completed one of the best turnarounds in college basketball this season. The Hurricanes won just seven games last season, and they enter the NCAA Tournament with a 25-8 record. At just age 37, Lucas spent the previous three seasons as an assistant at Duke before taking the Miami job to replace legendary head coach Jim Larranaga.

Purdue fans will recognize Miami’s leading scorer: Indiana transfer Malik Reneau. He earned All-ACC honors by leading the team with 18.8 points per game and pulling down over six boards. In the backcourt, Michigan transfer Tre Donaldson leads the way with 16.5 points and roughly six assists per contest.

Miami ranks 33rd in adjusted offensive efficiency and 38th defensively per KenPom. Notably, Miami shoots three-pointers at one of the nation’s lowest rates. Just 31.6% of Miami’s field goal attempts come from long range. However, the offense remains efficient due to the Hurricanes shooting 57% from two-point territory. Miami struggles at the free throw line, converting at one of the nation’s lowest rates.

In the ACC Tournament, Miami took down Louisville before a 22-point defeat by Virginia ended its weekend in the semifinals. It finished third in the ACC with a 13-5 record in league play. Miami didn’t pick up an abundance of signature wins, but it didn’t take any ugly losses to mar its resume.

10-SEED MISSOURI TIGERS 20-12 (10-8 SEC)

Missouri schedule/results | Missouri roster | Missouri stats

For the third time in four years, coach Dennis Gates brings Missouri to the Big Dance. The Tigers went 20-12 overall and 10-8 in SEC play to earn a 10-seed. The Tigers limped to the finish, however, dropping their final three games to enter the NCAA Tournament.

Volatility defines Missouri’s resume. The Tigers own strong home wins over Florida and Tennessee and a road win at Kentucky, but a 43-point loss to Illinois and a loss to Notre Dame stand out in the loss column.

Veteran Mark Mitchell started at Duke for two seasons before transferring to Columbia, where he leads the Tigers in scoring at 18 points per game. The big man doesn’t attempt many three-pointers, but he excels inside at 6-9 and 230 pounds. He’s capable of scoring off the bounce and creating difficult matchups.

The Tigers turn the ball over at a high rate, hampering an offense that shoots well from inside. Like Miami, Missouri does not rely on the three-point line. Similarly, the Tigers struggle from the free-throw stripe, shooting 68% there.

On defense, Missouri concedes threes at a high rate, as opponents shoot nearly 37% from long range and take a ton of three-point shots. But, Missouri defends the interior well. Seven-footer Shawn Phillips Jr. blocked 44 shots this season.

Missouri received a favorable gift from the NCAA Tournament selection committee playing in St. Louis, where it should see a considerable amount of fan support.

THE WEST REGION

Number two overall seed Arizona earned the top spot in the West Region. The 32-2 Wildcats won both the regular season and tournament titles in the Big 12. Arizona excels on both ends of the floor, using its elite size to its advantage. It rarely attempts three-pointers, but it gets offensive rebounds at a high clip and suffocates opponents defensively.

The 8/9 game features Villanova and Utah State. Former Maryland coach Kevin Willard delivered a strong debut season in Philadelphia, but a surprising 14-point loss to Georgetown in the Big East Tournament dampered the mood this past week. Meanwhile, Utah State Jarrod Calhoun is one of the hottest names on the coaching market this year, continuing a run of success for the Aggies over many years.

Four-seed Arkansas enters with plenty of momentum after winning the SEC Tournament. John Calipari took the Razorbacks to the Sweet 16 last season, and All-American freshman guard Darius Acuff drips with talent. With one of the most efficient offenses in the country, Arkansas can make a run.

Purdue fans need no introduction to the five-seed Wisconsin Badgers. Nick Boyd and John Blackwell fit the criteria of dangerous guards in the NCAA Tournament, and Wisconsin’s big men can step out and shoot effectively. A tricky first round matchup with High Point awaits, but a potential second round tilt with Arkansas qualifies as must-see television.

On Purdue’s half of the region, three-seed Gonzaga could await in a potential 2024 Sweet 16 rematch. Talented big man Braden Huff’s status looms large. He’s missed the last two months of the regular season, but he could rejoin the lineup for the Big Dance. Gonzaga’s 30-3 record jumps off the page, losing only to Michigan, St. Mary’s and Portland. Kennesaw State will take on the Bulldogs in the first round.

BYU suffered a crushing injury when Richie Saunders tore his ACL late in the regular season, but possible top draft pick AJ Dybantsa makes the Cougars lethal at times. A frantic pace can allow BYU to score in bunches. It awaits the winner of Texas and North Carolina State in the First Four.