Game Preview | Northern Kentucky at #14 Purdue

Game Preview | Northern Kentucky at #14 Purdue

(Photo by © Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images)

Purdue looks to move to 2-0 as its non-conference win streak continues.

#14 Purdue’s non-conference regular season win streak is now at 35 games after Purdue opened the 2024-25 season with a 90-73 victory over Texas A&M Corpus Christi.

Purdue’s second game of the year will feature Northern Kentucky traveling to Mackey Arena on Friday night.

Northern Kentucky lost its season-opener on the road against Florida State, 74-62.

Purdue’s team has evolved after losing Zach Edey to the NBA Draft into a three-headed monster on offense with Fletcher Loyer leading the way with points (21), Braden Smith controlling the offense (15 assists), and Trey Kaufman-Renn dominating down low (15 pts, 9 rbs) in its first game.

While the three have reliably led Purdue’s offense through two exhibition games and the season-opener, Braden Smith is already making claim as the best player in the Big Ten, and maybe the country.

The junior guard has started every game alongside Loyer since coming to Purdue as a true freshman in 2022-23. The Westfield native is the Big Ten’s premiere guard and one of the most prolific guards in the country. Smith did everything for Purdue in its season opener. Smith finished the game with 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 15 assists. That assist total is just one shy of his career record as he threatened to record his first triple-double after getting close a handful of times last year.

But Purdue’s experience is balanced with four true freshmen that will play real minutes for the Boilers.

Gicarri Harris has earned his way into the starting lineup, the true freshman guard from Georgia, and knocked down a key three-pointer late in his first regular season game while providing size and defense at the guard spot. Painter has gone with Harris because of the added ball handling he provides and his ability to pick up point guards full court, saving Smith from having to expend himself even more on the…

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Author : Boiler Upload

Publish date : 2024-11-07 21:15:00

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