Illinois vs Purdue Mens NCAA Basketball 1-19-2009

[Carpet]

My view of the game from floor level.....

Purdue comes limping into Orange Country, facing a blistering
barrage from the Head Coach over lack of Defense and hitting the
glass. Losing 3 straight and wont see a # 6 ranking the rest of
the season.

I have poured over the numbers and in every KEY OFFENSIVE STAT
these two teams match up very well.

Points per game Purdue 76 Illinois 75 with both teams
shooting 50% FG a game. The only stat that stood out was
Scoring Margin with Purdue at 14.6 and Illini at 8.7

On the defensive side of the Stats a little more revealing.

Purdue allowing on 61 pts a game while Illini giving up 66

The Boilmakers are also very good at shot blocking 9.6 per game
vs Illini at 6.9

Purdue is a better defensive team than Illinois and will play a
smothering defense. There will be no easy points in the paint for
Illinois if Purdue deploys the same strategy on Tisdale every
top front line has, Bang him at every point......

Illinois must get into a run game to beat Purdue, they cannot
play possession ball, Purdue will smother slow play.

Tisdale will get into foul trouble quickly as he try's to defend
his space standing still with his 7 foot wing span out.

Illinois will be real busy putting two players on Hummel
and I expect Purdue to get to the line about 20 times in this game

Illinois granted plays better at home, especially the talented
freshman guards and this is going to be the key to beating Purdue
our guards to push it up at high tempo nailing some easy
open bombs.

This is gonna be a war and a great game to watch

Illinois 67 Purdue 63

[Taxman]

As a Purdue alumni I am a little confused with what has happened to the Boilers. Something is not right with this team. They just look flat, which does happen to every team over the season. How quickly will Purdue snap out of this?

They were rolling against everyone in the first 14 game by playing all around great O and D. Their last win against Minnesota, I was pointing out to a group over dinner on how they challenge every shot and rarely give up an easy basket.

We know that Wisconsin is very tough at home and Ohio State was under rated when Evan Turner returned (OSU was a top 25 team). I was at the Northwestern game and was completed boggled on how the Cats were able to break them down. Purdue was just plain old sloppy on D, the back door cut got them at least a half dozen times. Then there was undisiplined play the end. That made a one point deficit turn into an 8 point loss.

Over the last two games, everyone on Purdue is watching Robbie Hummel. Yes he can light it up. Johnson has had been in foul trouble and those fouls were really lazy.

Here are my biased Purdue flaws:
JaJuan Johnson: Johnson is good for a double double. If Johnson is in foul trouble, it will be a long night. I don't know how you can go for 25 against WV and 16 against MN and then have 7, 4, 7 in the last three games. He should be fresh for this game as he only played 18 minutes against NW!

E'twan Moore: Very underrated. He is averaging 20 points in the 5 Big Ten games. Solid player.

Kramer-very solid on D, he will get his two steals, however, he was hobbling horribly on a sprained ankle during the NW game. That really slowed down his attacking D.

Keaton Grant: 25% (5-20) last four games. I have no clue what has happened to him. He has regressed this year!

DJ Byrd (Freshman): 1-15 shooting 3s the last 7 games, 2 assists in 5 Big 10 games! YIKES, he is a non-factor as of now.

Ryne Smith (So): 0-9 shooting 3s last 3 games! He was clanking them at the end of the NW and then a had careless foul which was a 6 point swing at the end of the game. What is even worse, 2 points in those three losses, in 57 minutes! Son, what are you doing out there!!!!!!

Kelsey Barlow (Freshman): Looks very pedestrian on the court. He's averaging about 15 minutes a game in the Big 10, with about 4 points per game, and a couple of assists.

Bottom line:
Like I told my sad son after the NW game, if you don't have balanced scoring, you are not going to be successful in the Big Ten!

Someone other than Hummel, Moore and Johnson must step up and contribute to help this team win on the road.

If this total stays at 137, I really like the under. Scoring is going to be at a premium. Few easy baskets and each team will shoot no more than 42%.

I want Purdue to win, but, I can see a final score of 65-61 for either team.

[woodee12]

I am on Purdue and the under myself.

Both teams are pretty unpredictable.

I got purdue at -2 last night.

But now it is at 4. Probably wouldn't lay 4 on the road, by I am more confident with the 2.

Under is probably the better play. Now at 136.5.

[Swicat]

I am not touching that game.

I love Wichita St -2 against N. Iowa. N Iowa finally cracks the top 25 but will be in for it on the road 2nite.

Good Luck,
Swicat

[zshimer]

Personally I am on OVER 64.5 for the first half so we shall see. Good luck with the rest of the plays

[woodee12]

Well, that under didn't pan out did it? Wish I would have layed off that one. Got the W with Purdue but gave it back on the total--hate it when that happens.

I played Witchy State as well. UNI is tought but thats a tought place to play no matter who you are.

Watch out for UNI as a sleeper come tourney time with that D they play!!