. . World News – CA – Clemson vs.. . Purdue basketball preview

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Opponent: Purdue If: Thursday, 26. November 8th, 8:30 p.m. Venue: Titan Field House – Melbourne, FL (Space Coast Challenge) Tv: CBS Sports Network

Purdue looked like a team looking to prove a point in the 2020 opener against Liberty after a bad 2019 season. An offense that seemed lost in numerous games last season looked sharp last night.

The Boilermakers were led by 7’4 freshman Zach Edey, who scored 19 points in 9 out of 10 shots against the flames. Edey shouldn’t be that good so early, but he flashed nice hands and dipped everything in Wednesday night

Edey’s efficient night was supported by 2 other newbies. Jaden Ivey hit the ground shooter and didn’t stop shooting until he hit the bench and contributed 12 points in 17 minutes. Brandon Newman threw another 10 points on a combination of drives to the edge and outside shooting.

Purdue’s all-Big10 center, Trevion Williams, struggled with nasty problems and had a hard time coping indoors, but put together a solid all-round game with 7 points, 11 rebounds and 5 assists. It wasn’t a great night for Purdue’s normally efficient top scorer, but his diverse skills make him an asset on the night too.

Liberty fought with 11 3 pointers, but couldn’t keep up with Purdue’s efficiency on the offensive. The Boilermakers shot 50% from depth, went 9-18 for the game and shot 58. 5% for the game. When Purdue’s offense clicks on this level, they are almost impossible to beat.

The Boilermakers are coming in 2020/2021 and trying to shake off an unusually bad 19/20 campaign. Last season Purdue finished the Big10 at 16:15 and 9:11. That is a deviation for a normally stable and successful program.

Purdue had two major off-season defects when 18/19 starter Matt Haarms left the log jam for BYU and two-year starting point guard Nojel Eastern left for Howard. These two losses were a major point of contention in the off-season as both were sidelined under unusual circumstances that had suffered a setback from Coach Painter. Losing 2 talented and experienced seniors is tough but the Boilermakers had to restart the squad after falling apart 19/20 and this gives them the perfect opportunity.

The main focus of the Purdue offensive is getting the ball to Trevion Williams. At 6’10, 265, it’s one of the most efficient post-scores in the nation. He can score with both hands down and has a variety of moves when he has the time. He’s a lazy magnet if he catches the ball in the post and scores a goal through contact. If you want to stain him, you have to wrap his arms around him because he is incredibly strong. He uses this strength to take down opponents on the boards and usually scores at least 4-6 points per game by following his own mistakes after burying his defender under the backboard.

You can’t fall asleep with the ball going in tre because he’s one of the best passers-by on the Purdue roster. He’ll meet a cutter walking down the alley from on top of the key, and he’s adept at finding open shooters on the opposite side of the floor. He’s a difficult player to double up on and I often wonder if it wouldn’t be better if the teams played him straight and force him to score. If it gets hot in the paint, it can pitch 30 at a time, dirtying your entire front line. He’ll be tough cover for Clemson.

Aaron Wheeler was supposed to have a breakout year in 2019 after a solid freshman campaign, but struggled (to say the least) to kick the ball from the outside. In theory, it is a long-range athletic route 4. Last season’s teams asked him to shoot from below until the end of the season. I assume Clemson will give him plenty of room until he proves he cleared his shot. He’s another guy that you need to unbox because he loves resetting.

Sasha is either the best shooter on the team or the worst shooter on the team, depending on the game. When he is hot he can bear the offense. If he’s cold, he can kick Purdue out of games for 10 minutes. Last season the hot Sasha appeared for the home games and the cold Sasha took part in the away games. If this pattern is true, then Purdue should be fine, but keeping an eye on Sasha is a good idea. He’s got a quick trigger and he’s not lacking in confidence. If he hits one, he’ll likely hit two or three in a row. Plus, of all the Purdue wings last season, it was the most likely to cut to the edge and try to land on the edge.

Newman is a Redshirt freshman looking to play his first few minutes of college basketball. He’s an incredible athlete and a deadly shooter who comes off the screens. He gets a nice boost from his jumpers and can take them over most defenders. When he’s in the game, he’ll disappear from the screens trying to score from the scope. At 6-5 he is adept at doing dribble handoffs on the free-throw line from the center, turning the corner and dribbling on the edge.

Ivey is a true newbie, but grew up playing college basketball. His mother, Niele Ivey, was named chief basketball coach for the women of Notre Dame this off-season. She was also an All-American for Notre Dame. His father, Javin Hunter, was a star receiver for Notre Dame and then played for the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers. He won’t be intimidated right now.

Ivey was a top 100 player nationwide and he’s the type that Purdue fans have ignored since he signed. If you’ve followed Purdue basketball, a more explosive E’Twaun Moore is a good composition for Ivey. He’s a sleek rider who is equally good at getting to the rim and pulling up from the outside, which makes him a tough cover. If you push him he will try to get past you. If you give him space, he’ll pull up a sweater and caress him. It will also be his second college game. The talent is there, it’s just a matter of how long it takes him to put it together.

Thompson is usually a bench player for Purdue, but he will start until Hunter recovers. Thompson doesn’t look like a gamer. It’s thin wire with a 6: 1 frame and won’t find anyone overly athletic. His older brother (and current Purdue assistant coach) P. . J. . Thompson played point for Purdue a few seasons ago, and he’s been the same (except for P. . J. . was a bit more bulky). He didn’t look like someone to worry about, to the point where he emptied a clutch 3 over your outstretched fingers.

Isaiah is a solid ball handler and decision maker and a deadly spot-up shooter. If you don’t respect his jump shot, he’ll make you pay. Clemson can’t get lazy and lose focus as he finds openings on the perimeter when they put his man on a doubles team or in a rotation.

Gillis had a great high school career and then he blew his knee out before his busy season and we haven’t seen him in a competitive game since. He took a redshirt year to make sure he was 100% healthy, but the coaching team raved about his training intensity. He is 6’6 but will most likely play for Purdue Power Forward. He has an adult body. I expect his main contribution will be frantic games and offensive boards, but he could shoot the ball in high school and offer the Boilermakers an interesting stretch-4 option. Until he proves he can shoot it, he’s a player that Clemson can help out when he’s out of color.

Ivey is a true newbie, but grew up playing college basketball. His mother, Niele Ivey, was named chief basketball coach for the women of Notre Dame this off-season. She was also an All-American for Notre Dame. His father, Javin Hunter, was a star receiver for Notre Dame and then played for the Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers. He won’t be intimidated right now.

Ivey was a top 100 player nationwide and he’s the type that Purdue fans have ignored since he signed. If you’ve followed Purdue basketball, a more explosive E’Twaun Moore is a good composition for Ivey. He’s a sleek rider who is equally good at getting to the rim and pulling up from the outside, which makes him a tough cover. If you push him he will try to get past you. If you give him space, he’ll pull up a sweater and caress him. It will also be his second college game. The talent is there, it’s just a matter of how long it takes him to put it together.

Edey is a monster. Not sure what else to expect from the Canadian import (via IMG) but you will 100% notice when it’s on the court. He’s a real 7’4 and not thin. He dominated Purdue’s first scrimmage which came as a surprise to everyone as he was viewed as a development player coming to Purdue. He may be a development player, but he dominated Liberty. Look for him to post hard and try to commit fouls when he’s in the game. I expect a quick doubles team that will force him to make a decision with the ball.

Morton was another gem in Purdue’s 2020 recruiting class. Together with Ivey, he was to play in one piece right away. His off-season development and conditioning met with success after a nasty case from Mono blew him away for over a month. He is an elite passerby from the wing and may play a point guard in Purdue’s positional movement crime. He fought Liberty, but Purdue sees him as a key role in their future plans. Expect to see him out on the court in brief bursts. He’s another guy that Clemson can help until he proves he can shoot from the outside.

Purdue plays man-to-man as God intended. This allows them to maintain continuous ball pressure and grind on opposing ball handlers. I expect a quick double team from around the corner every time Aamir touches the ball in the paint. Purdue likes to send the doubles team before the first dribble. Simms has to make quick decisions in the post office and reconcile his rating with good pass decisions.

Tall screens are Purdue’s kryptonite, and that should be the case again this year. The Dawes / Simms 1/5 high ball screen should be the only game Clemson plays until Purdue proves they can stop it. When they finally stop, Clemson should move on to the 2/5 high ball screen. If you have a security guard who can turn the corner on the screen and attack the lane, Purdue is fighting. The Tigers must get Williams and Edey to come outside and move their feet. Williams is a lazy magnet on the fringes, and while Edey is mobile for a 7’4, 285 pound man, he’s still a 7’4, 285 pound man.

Purdue wants to force the ball towards the wings and then cut off the back. Clemson has a bad habit of sticking the ball on the wings. If the Tigers do not move the ball from side to side or do not force the ball on top of the key, Purdue wins the game. If you don’t get the Purdue defense rotating, they will pinch everything you want to do on the offense. Ideally, the Tigers will move the ball early in the shot clock and then by default on the high selection and roll later in the clock.

It’s difficult to judge after the first game, but Purdue looked significantly more cohesive than Clemson in the opening round. Granted, it’s easier to look good against Liberty than against Mississippi State, but Purdue looked like a midseason team and Clemson looked like a team still trying to figure out how the pieces fit together.

This will be an interesting game later in the year, but I don’t think the Clemson team I saw on Wednesday night have a big chance on Thursday night.

Purdue Boilermakers Men’s Basketball, Purdue University, Matt Painter, College Basketball