Game Preview – #6 Purdue at #15 Marquette

Game Preview – #6 Purdue at #15 Marquette

(Photo by © Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images)

The Shaka Smart and Matt Painter rivalry continues

Purdue got the best of Marquette last year in the Maui Invitational Championship.

Purdue got the best of Marquette the year before that at home, too.

Long before that, Shaka Smart, and his VCU team got the best of a Purdue team with Final Four aspirations when the Baby Boilers were still hopping around Mackey Arena. At Texas, Smart got the best of Painter, too.

When Painter and Smart’s team square off, it feels like an event.

But don’t confuse competition with hostility. Part of the fascination of the Matt Painter and Shaka Smart rivalry is that the two coaches’ on-court antics and products can be so antithesis to each other, but with building a program and as ideologists in college basketball, the two are complementary and complimentary of each other

Smart’s team are fast and quick, prone to forcing turnovers and pressing on both ends of the floor. There is no break against Smart teams. They keep coming at you, and on offense, even when you figure out the pieces, they’ll break you.

Painter’s defense is about percentages and numbers. Its offense, elegant and orchestrated, but also very, very tall.

It makes for an exciting forty minutes as showcased in last year’s Maui Invitational finale.

Marquette forced Purdue into 15 turnovers. Purdue out rebounded Marquette by 13. Zach Edey had 28 points and Tyler Kolek had 22 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists.

Now both teams, despite not picking up a transfer in the off season, move on from two of the best players in college basketball last season.

With Edey gone, Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Fletcher Loyer have picked up right where Purdue was last season – knocking off top-ranked teams in the non-conference.

Purdue is coming off an 87-78 victory over then #2 Alabama in Mackey Arena on Friday. This will be Purdue’s first road trip as it heads to…

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Author : Boiler Upload

Publish date : 2024-11-19 00:23:00

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