As I pack up my hotel room and prepare to head for the Arena for today’s matchup, I wanted to share the staff predictions for this one. So no preamble, let’s just get into it.
Ledman:
This Miami team has two Big Ten retreads with Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson. I think that should give Purdue a bit of an advantage as they’ve prepared for these guys before. Now, they are playing different roles and have certainly improved their games, but the Purdue staff is familiar with them. If you watched that Missouri
versus Miami game you’d know that it wasn’t exactly a testament to the beauty of the game of basketball. Now, Purdue’s offense? That’s the beauty of the game of basketball. The defense doesn’t have to be perfect but they have to continue putting forth the effort they’ve been putting forth since they got into tournament time. I think they are able to do that today and will advance to the Sweet 16 once again with a date with former Purdue player Cam Heide and Texas.
Purdue 79 – Miami 68
Jed:
A short turnaround is always difficult but it is made easier when there are two players that most of Purdue’s roster is familiar with. Those two are former Indiana Hoosier Malik Reneau and former Michigan Wolverine Tre Donaldson, who also happen to be Miami’s two most important players (the two average 35.5ppg combined). That is an advantage for the Boilers beyond having advantages all over the court.
That being said, this isn’t a cake walk and some of these games in the NCAAT have opened everyone’s eyes. Miami doesn’t do anything at an elite level but they just seem to be steady at most everything. The biggest key may be the Miami allows opponents to shoot 35.4% from behind the arc, 2.5% higher than the national average (Purdue’s defense is at 34%).
Purdue has the advantage on the inside and definitively have it on the outside. Given what they have shown over the last five games, Purdue appears to have figured out their woes on defense while the offense has continued to improve.
Purdue, on the back of a dominating offensive performance, keeps Miami at arms length and makes it to a third straight Sweet 16 and a matchup with Texas and former Boilermaker Cam Heide.
Boilers: 83
Hurricanes: 73
Drew:
In theory, Miami does some things on defense that could bother Purdue.
I don’t subscribe to that theory.
Purdue’s offense remains red hot and Miami slowly fades out of the game midway through the 2nd half, as the Boilermakers advace to face the Fightin’ Cam Heides’ from Texas in the Sweet 16.
Travis:
This one will be interestin. Tre Donaldson and Malik Reneau have experience facing Purdue and playing well against. The Hurricanes are a solid team, but htey have struggled against elite competition all year. I think Purdue gets about a 10 point win because we’ve been playing really, really well int he postseason.
Sorry this isn’t longer. I drove 800 miles today and I am exhausted. (editor’s note: I don’t know if Travis wanted me to include this but I think it’s funny so I did.)
Ryan:
Miami played two entirely different halves against Mizzou. The first half was just an ugly slog while the second half was a 53-point show. But the problem with Miami this year is consistency. Another issue for Miami could be depth as only 6 players played a meaningful number of minutes against Missouri. These are teens and early 20 year olds so I doubt fatigue plays that much into the game given that each team has a day off, but if somebody on Miami gets into foul trouble, it could be problematic.
For Purdue, the gameplan is simple: run your offense that is the most efficient in the country and rebound the ball. Miami is 16th in the country in terms of offensive rebound percentage so Purdue will want to limit second chance points. Ultimately, Purdue is just the better team and having seen play against Malik Reneau and Tre Donaldson will help. The Boilers head back to their 3rd consecutive Sweet Sixteen with the victory.
Purdue 85
Miami 73
