- Joined
- May 8, 2002
- Posts
- 475,518
- Reaction score
- 45
WEST LAFAYETTE — Did McNeese State just set up Purdue basketball for its next NCAA Tournament challenge?
The Cowboys were buried early by the Boilermakers' outside shooting.
Backs against the wall, McNeese went to a full court press and tried to force the ball out of point guard Braden Smith's hands.
Houston, Purdue's Sweet 16 opponent Friday night and the nation's most efficient defensive team, feasts on forcing point guards to get rid of the ball.
On Saturday afternoon, Purdue countered McNeese's press with a unique lineup it hasn't shown this season.
It included Smith, freshmen guards CJ Cox and Gicarri Harris along with Myles Colvin all in the backcourt. It was a game where all four flourished and, until late when a comeback was essentially out of reach, proved to work in terms of getting the ball past McNeese's defense.
More: Can Braden Smith give Purdue basketball three straight Naismith Trophy award winners?
"They were picking up the press in the second half so seeing us having four guards, four ball handlers out there is definitely beneficial, especially with Braden having to bring the ball up the whole game," Cox said.
Houston will be the popular pick to beat Purdue, but the Boilermakers can win. Here's how.
Of the 16 remaining teams in the NCAA Tournament, only one has a starting lineup with players who've only been at one college program.
Other than Cox, who has been in the starting five the last 22 games, Purdue's other four starters have the benefit of three full seasons together.
Senior Caleb Furst has 55 career starts and 140 career games played. Redshirt junior center Trey Kaufman-Renn has 74 consecutive starts and 109 games played. Junior guards Smith and Fletcher Loyer have started all 109 games in their college careers.
Loyer, Kaufman-Renn and Smith started all 39 games together last season during Purdue's run to the NCAA title game. Purdue has no transfer players on scholarship.
Milos Uzan, a transfer from Oklahoma, is the only Houston starter who wasn't on last season's roster. The Cougars' top player, LJ Cryer, is in his second season at Houston after starting his career at Baylor.
Purdue shot 42.3% from 3 against McNeese in its last outing, even with its statistically best outside shooter Fletcher Loyer going 3-for-10. Shooting has come and gone beyond the arc at times for Purdue this season, but the Boilers enter the Sweet 16 shooting 38.5% from 3 as a team.
Houston's defense aims to force teams to take outside shots, a formula that has helped the Cougars win 28 of their last 29 games. In that setback, an 82-81 loss to Texas Tech on Feb. 1, Houston's defense was combated by the Red Raiders going 12 of 30 from 3-point range.
For what it's worth, 3-point defense will be key, too. Houston ranks second in the country in 3-point efficiency.
Houston doesn't dominate on the glass and its best rebounders are both 6-foot-7.
That said, Purdue statistically is not a rebounding juggernaut as its been in the past. The Boilermakers rank 304th nationally in rebounds per game.
However ...
The Boilermakers are outrebounding their opponents by an average of 2.5 per game and have outrebounded nine of their last 13 opponents.
In two NCAA Tournament games, Purdue has outrebounded High Point and McNeese State by a combined 38.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: 3 keys for Purdue basketball that can lead to upset of Houston
Continue reading...
The Cowboys were buried early by the Boilermakers' outside shooting.
Backs against the wall, McNeese went to a full court press and tried to force the ball out of point guard Braden Smith's hands.
Houston, Purdue's Sweet 16 opponent Friday night and the nation's most efficient defensive team, feasts on forcing point guards to get rid of the ball.
On Saturday afternoon, Purdue countered McNeese's press with a unique lineup it hasn't shown this season.
It included Smith, freshmen guards CJ Cox and Gicarri Harris along with Myles Colvin all in the backcourt. It was a game where all four flourished and, until late when a comeback was essentially out of reach, proved to work in terms of getting the ball past McNeese's defense.
More: Can Braden Smith give Purdue basketball three straight Naismith Trophy award winners?
"They were picking up the press in the second half so seeing us having four guards, four ball handlers out there is definitely beneficial, especially with Braden having to bring the ball up the whole game," Cox said.
Houston will be the popular pick to beat Purdue, but the Boilermakers can win. Here's how.
Can Purdue basketball continuity lead to upset of Houston in Sweet 16?
Of the 16 remaining teams in the NCAA Tournament, only one has a starting lineup with players who've only been at one college program.
Other than Cox, who has been in the starting five the last 22 games, Purdue's other four starters have the benefit of three full seasons together.
Senior Caleb Furst has 55 career starts and 140 career games played. Redshirt junior center Trey Kaufman-Renn has 74 consecutive starts and 109 games played. Junior guards Smith and Fletcher Loyer have started all 109 games in their college careers.
Loyer, Kaufman-Renn and Smith started all 39 games together last season during Purdue's run to the NCAA title game. Purdue has no transfer players on scholarship.
Milos Uzan, a transfer from Oklahoma, is the only Houston starter who wasn't on last season's roster. The Cougars' top player, LJ Cryer, is in his second season at Houston after starting his career at Baylor.
Is 3-point shooting an edge for Purdue against Houston?
Purdue shot 42.3% from 3 against McNeese in its last outing, even with its statistically best outside shooter Fletcher Loyer going 3-for-10. Shooting has come and gone beyond the arc at times for Purdue this season, but the Boilers enter the Sweet 16 shooting 38.5% from 3 as a team.
You must be registered for see images attach
Houston's defense aims to force teams to take outside shots, a formula that has helped the Cougars win 28 of their last 29 games. In that setback, an 82-81 loss to Texas Tech on Feb. 1, Houston's defense was combated by the Red Raiders going 12 of 30 from 3-point range.
For what it's worth, 3-point defense will be key, too. Houston ranks second in the country in 3-point efficiency.
Purdue basketball's rebounding boost
Houston doesn't dominate on the glass and its best rebounders are both 6-foot-7.
That said, Purdue statistically is not a rebounding juggernaut as its been in the past. The Boilermakers rank 304th nationally in rebounds per game.
However ...
The Boilermakers are outrebounding their opponents by an average of 2.5 per game and have outrebounded nine of their last 13 opponents.
In two NCAA Tournament games, Purdue has outrebounded High Point and McNeese State by a combined 38.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: 3 keys for Purdue basketball that can lead to upset of Houston
Continue reading...
