A Short Purdue MBB Preview

Losses

Starting Five

FR. Ronnie Johnson. G.  6'0" 170lbs

9.1 ppg. 3.9 rpg. 3.4 apg. 

JR. Terone Johnson. G.  6'2" 199lbs

13.4 ppg. 4.7 rpg. 3.1 apg.

FR. Rapheal Davis. G.  6'5" 211lbs

5.6 ppg. 3.2 rpg. 52% fg.

SR. D.J. Byrd. G-F. 6'5" 228lbs

10.4 ppg. 6.4 3pa. 3.8 rpg.

FR. A.J. Hammons. C. 7'0" 280lbs

10.3 ppg. 6.3 rpg. 2.1 bpg. (Leads the Big Ten)

Key Bench Players

SO. Anthony Johnson. G. 6'3" 191lbs

21.8 MIN. 6.1 ppg. 3.6 rpg.

FR. Donnie Hale. F. 6'8" 221lbs

14.8 MIN. 3.9 ppg. 3.2 rpg.

SO. Jacob Lawson. F. 6'8" 217 lbs.

14.4 MIN. 3.1 ppg. 3.1 rpg. 

*Yes, they do have three guards with the last name Johnson that play significant minutes*

Key Team Stats (Big Ten Rankings)

The Bad

9th in Scoring (66.8/game)

9th in FG% (42%)

9th in 3PT% (32%)

11th in SPG (5.17)

11th in FT%. (63%)

12th in 3PA (14/game)

The Good

1st in Total Rebounds (41.2)

T-2nd in BPG (4.89)

2nd in Offensive Rebounds (14.4)

What I make out of all of this

This is a very streaky team.  As you can see from their wins/losses, they are capable of beating good teams and losing to bad teams.  It looks like it's going to be another battle on the boards and down low, similar to how Minnesota was.  This is not a good shooting team and they don't take many 3s, so make them shoot.  

Prediction

Purdue 48, Michigan 63. 

I don't think Purdue is going to be able to keep up with us offensively and therefore we are going to pull away in the 2nd half.  Hammons is going to give us trouble down low in the first half, much like Mbakwe did, but they will make some adjustments in the 2nd half to counter that.  I think this is going to be a game that GRIII has a double-double with around 20pts.  

Go Blue!