The good guys get a chance to avenge one of their four losses against the scrappy Wildcats this afternoon.
As we all know, the Princeton-style offense and zone can create problems, but there are a few keys to the game, in my opinion that give Purdue the edge.
First, of course, revenge. Matty's club is damned good when revenge is on their mind...I'm sure it is here. Plus, Painter's made it very clear that he thinks Purdue needs to earn respect during this weekend. That sounds like talk from a coach that is placing the chip squarely on his team's shoulders. Good.
Next, Lewis Jackson. He's playing better with each game...even when he's not scoring a lot, he's a game-changer. From guarding Thompson, to setting the pace and not allowing Northwestern's zone to set up, LewJack is a key to Purdue's success...and oh yeah, he wasn't there the last time these two teams met.
Finally, I like Smooge in this one. I think he'll get his looks as the zone can only extend so far. With nearly a week to get his confidence and shooter's eye back, I'm pretty stoked 'Twaun can make Northwestern pay...in fact, he must. On the same note, KG and Hart must both knock down their open shots and Kramer simply has to keep NU honest.
Purdue 67
Northwestern 59
Christmastime
I hope you've been enjoying all of the joys this season has to offer.
While owning my business has been tough the last calendar year, it's times like these when I'm reminded why it pays to be an entrepreneur.
Good 'N Horrible
Remember Texas? You know the squad that was #1 for a chunk of this season. Yeah, me neither. But, a team dressed in their uniforms showed exactly why they're forgettable. Good talent- check. Good size- check. Experience- check. Does it matter? Nope. They not only play badly, but are also easily-rattled and undisciplined. Rick Barnes used to be a good coach...don't know what happened.
Nothing to see here
When Hummel's ACL snapped, the media, nearly- moments later rendered Purdue useless and unimportant. They dropped in the polls, dropped out of the 1 seed and dropped out of the limited favor that they had earned over the season.
But, when Syracuse lost a 10+ point/game starter, all I heard from EsPN, Fox and others was all was still well! Excuses to why Syracuse was still their favorite little fella flowed from all pores yesterday afternoon as the painfully-obvious east coast/BE bias popped up and flowered like dandelions in late April.
Granted, Hummel's a superior player to Onuaku. But, his potential loss would make the 'Cuse a six-man rotation.
And what do we always hear? Depth is one of the most-important factors in making a team a legit contender. The double standard is laughable and sad at the same time.
Hats off to all Syracuse parts that worked together to stop the bleeding yesterday- everything from Onuaku's Mom that said the X-Ray was negative so all is well (pssst- XRays don't show soft tissue damage)...to the 'Cuse SID who called the injury a strain without seeing an MRI. This amounts to the same expertise as my Dad telling me I had pulled a ligament during a CYO game following an injury. And like my Dad, they really don't know.
I wish the kid well, but I have no time for Goodman, Lunardi, Katz, Parrish and others who looked for a reason to knock Purdue down, and at the same time look for reasons to be damage control for the Orange.