No explanation needed here. It’s Saturday. It’s gameday. Elite Eight. Tonight. Let’s get into it.
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Ledman:
If you read the Q&A I did over at Arizona Desert Swarm you already know my prediction. Or if you listened to the latest episode of the Boiler Alert podcast you know my prediction.
View LinkI think this Purdue team can beat anyone. I’ve believed that since day one of this season. I’ve talked about it all year on the podcast and on this here very website. When this team is firing on all cylinders they are the best team in the country. I firmly believe that. We saw it in four games in four days at the Big Ten Tournament. We saw that especially in the game against Michigan. We saw them handle a full strength Texas Tech team. Purdue’s A game takes down anyone. Now, can they play their A game against an athletic and uber-talented Arizona team? Will the youth of the Arizona team, they start three freshmen, be overcome by the experience of Purdue? These are the key questions for me. I’ve ridden Purdue all the way and picked them in my bracket so I’ve gotta stick to it here.
Purdue 78, Arizona 75
Drew:
This is why I don’t gamble on sports. Arizona is the clear favorite for a myriad reasons, at the same time, I can’t not pick Purdue to win.
So my prediction is a Purdue victory.
How the Boilermakers might go about winning is significantly above my pay grade, which is fine, that’s why we pay Matt Painter and his brain trust. My brain still feels like it got in a fight from last night’s stress induced binge drinking.
I’ll say this, Braden Smith hasn’t been the best player on the court in any game thus far. I’m pretty sure he’s going to need to reverse that trend, but who knows? If you told me Purdue would go 4/20 from behind the arc against Texas, I assume I would be working on a season retrospective today instead of an Arizona preview.
Just for fun:
Purdue: 96
Arizona:92
Kyle:
Why stop now? Indianapolis has always been the goal for this senior laden team.
Zona is as talented as anyone. But they are young across the board. Young players make mistakes in tight situations. Purdue will need to keep it close late and use their veteran presence to push them on.
The Boilers struggle with NBA Wings, Koa Peat is just that at 6-7, 225 pounds. They will need to do a better job than they did against Marks from UT.
Again, why stop now?
Boilers 84 Zona 81
Travis:
This is going to be a tough one. I not only think that Arizona is a really good team, but they are a horrible matchup for us. The Boilers are going to have to play at least as well as they did against Michigan two weeks ago if not better. The athleticism of their guards and ability to rebound well are tremendous challenges. If Purdue plays like it did against Texas this one could get ugly. Purdue is very good. Arizona is probably better.
Arizona 86, Purdue 76
Casey:
Arizona is a daunting, big, very big team that has throttled its opponents for most the season. It has an nba guard, nba bodies everywhere, and it’s gonna be a fight. Purdue usually wants more possessions because of how elite they are efficiency wise. Not tomorrow. Limit the game. Slow it down. TKR’s uniqueness inside and Smith’s Houston game from last year to be on display for Purdue. Everyone has to rebound. Hard. From the jump.
68-66, Purdue does the thing.
Jed:
Im not completely sold this is Purdue’s most difficult matchup of the season. Iowa State at full health still remains, in my mind, the best overall team in the country. Michigan is just so solidly constructed that they can morph to whatever their opponent can do and, in most cases, do it better. Arizona is on that level but I’m not totally sold this is as one sided as nearly every national pundit is trying to make it out to be.
Purdue has the best true point guard in the country. Purdue will have the best low post scorer in this matchup along with the best three point shooter. The key for Purdue is simple though…can those three pieces put it all together, at the same time, to be the best three headed monster in college basketball?
I say yes.
On a short turnaround, teams have struggled to scout all the actions Purdue runs and they likely can’t exploit the things Purdue is lacking in defense. I’m also going to trust the best damn point guard over the last quarter century to get his team over the finish line and bring them home to a Final Four in Indy.
Braden drives and collapses the defense off the trademark high ball screen with TKR but he spots an open Loyer to bury the 3 for the win.
Boilers: 79
Arizona: 76
Ryan:
I refuse to feel good about this game. This is a daunting opponent with an incredible amount of skill and very few flaws, if any. But here’s the thing: Arizona is not unbeatable and Purdue, when playing to their best, can beat any team in the nation, including one of the 3 consensus picks in the tournament, Michigan. Arizona doesn’t shoot the same volume of 3’s as most schools do and Purdue has a very good track record of slowing the game down to their pace of play and out-efficiency-ing their opponents. Given the experience of the seniors and the stakes of going back home to Indiana for a Final Four, give me the Boilermakers to get it done.
Purdue 82
Arizona 80