NCAAB · 1 year ago

5 Things We Learned About the Purdue Boilermakers in the Elite Eight

Grant White

Host · Writer

They Have to Stop Turning the Ball Over
Purdue's path to the Final Four could have been a lot smoother. Instead, they let turnovers get in the way of their otherwise exceptional outing, letting Tennessee hang around until the waning moments of the contest.

Cumulatively, the Boilermakers turned the ball over ten times, losing the turnover battle and breathing life into the Volunteers' chances. Worse, those giveaways precipitated 20 points against.

Purdue has the worst turnover margin of any team left standing, posting a -12 rating in the NCAA Tournament. Although they've overcome those shortcomings against inferior competition, they can't make those same mistakes and expect to claim this year's championship. As we know, it already cost them in the Big 10 Championship.
Zach Edey is Superhuman
Zach Edey is having a tournament for the ages. The Purdue Boilermakers center has an unstoppable force, and there was nothing the Tennessee Volunteers could do to slow the big man down.

Edey went off on Sunday. The Canadian dropped a career-high 40 points in the Elite Eight, adding 16 rebounds and an assist for his seventh straight double-double and easily surpassing all his player props. But that 40-point effort only scratches the surface of Edey's accomplishments. He went 13-for-21 from the field for a 61.9% shooting percentage, his lowest of the tourney, while getting to the charity stripe 22 times.

The crazy part is this is business as usual for Edey. The senior is averaging 30.0 points and 16.3 rebounds per game in tournament play, almost single-handedly willing Purdue to the Final Four.
Purdue's Defense is Impenetrable
Purdue has earned a well-deserved reputation for its incredibly efficient offense; however, let's take some time to appreciate the defense for what it is.

The Boilermakers held the Vols to 38.7% shooting from the field while letting them get to the line only 11 times. Moreover, Purdue out-rebounded the Volunteers 40-23, with only six of Tennessee's rebounds coming on the offensive glass.

That effort improved the Boilermakers' adjusted defensive efficiency rating to 95.3, the 16th-best in the country and second-best left in the big dance. Purdue will need every bit of that if they hope to claim this year's National Championship.
Mason Gillis Needs to Take on a More Prominent Role
Big ups to Mason Gillis, who is stepping out of the way to help Purdue accomplish something that hasn't been done since the 70s. The Boilermakers are trying to go the entire season with the same starting lineup, meaning Mason Gillis is relegated to finishing the season in a reserve role. Still, that doesn't mean he can't take on a more prominent role on the court.

In Sunday's 72-66 win, Gillis was on the court for 26 minutes, out-playing starting forward Trey Kaufman-Renn. Overall, Gillis made more meaningful contributions, grabbing eight rebounds and dropping three dimes, with Kaufman-Renn putting together a more modest two points and one rebound.

Edey will be a magnet for coverage, meaning Gillis should have many more open looks against the North Carolina State Wolfpack. He'll have to do better than 0-for-3 from the field for the Boilermakers to keep their title hopes intact.
Don't Discount the Boilermaker Guards
Edey will continue to get the lion's share of looks and adulation on offense, but we can't discount the three-headed monster of Braden Smith, Lance Jones, and Fletcher Loyer. The Boilermakers guards have quietly and efficiently taken care of business in the backcourt, a trend we expect to continue against NC State.

All three players made significant contributions versus the Vols. For the second time in as many games, Smith came within reach of a triple-double. His nine points, seven rebounds, and seven assists left him shy of the elusive benchmark. Loyer was the only player to eclipse double-digits, totaling 14 points, with Jones making more modest contributions.

Purdue's trio has been instrumental to their team's success. They will continue to shoulder a heavy burden, keeping the Boilermakers' engine churning.
They Have to Stop Turning the Ball Over
Purdue's path to the Final Four could have been a lot smoother. Instead, they let turnovers get in the way of their otherwise exceptional outing, letting Tennessee hang around until the waning moments of the contest.

Cumulatively, the Boilermakers turned the ball over ten times, losing the turnover battle and breathing life into the Volunteers' chances. Worse, those giveaways precipitated 20 points against.

Purdue has the worst turnover margin of any team left standing, posting a -12 rating in the NCAA Tournament. Although they've overcome those shortcomings against inferior competition, they can't make those same mistakes and expect to claim this year's championship. As we know, it already cost them in the Big 10 Championship.
Zach Edey is Superhuman
Zach Edey is having a tournament for the ages. The Purdue Boilermakers center has an unstoppable force, and there was nothing the Tennessee Volunteers could do to slow the big man down.

Edey went off on Sunday. The Canadian dropped a career-high 40 points in the Elite Eight, adding 16 rebounds and an assist for his seventh straight double-double and easily surpassing all his player props. But that 40-point effort only scratches the surface of Edey's accomplishments. He went 13-for-21 from the field for a 61.9% shooting percentage, his lowest of the tourney, while getting to the charity stripe 22 times.

The crazy part is this is business as usual for Edey. The senior is averaging 30.0 points and 16.3 rebounds per game in tournament play, almost single-handedly willing Purdue to the Final Four.

5 Things We Learned About the Purdue Boilermakers in the Elite Eight

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