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Indiana Basketball: Keys for success on the road versus Purdue

By Lukas Harkins

BLOOMINGTON, IN - JANUARY 28: Indiana Hoosiers fans get ready before a game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Assembly Hall on January 28, 2018 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN - JANUARY 28: Indiana Hoosiers fans get ready before a game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Assembly Hall on January 28, 2018 in Bloomington, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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BLOOMINGTON, IN – JANUARY 14: A rack of basketballs at the Hoosiers game. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
BLOOMINGTON, IN – JANUARY 14: A rack of basketballs at the Hoosiers game. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

1. Be aggressive on the glass

Due to the fact that Purdue trots out players such as Matt Haarms, Evan Boudreaux (if he plays), and Trevion Williams for extended minutes, it should come as no surprise that they are among the nation’s best rebounding teams. In fact, the Boilermakers rank in the nation’s top-100 in both offensive (35.8% – 20th) and defensive (73.5% – 86th) rebounding percentage as they do great work on the glass. Indiana, on the other hand, has struggled a bit in this facet of the game and they need to do a better job of seeking out missed shots in this one.

Winning the possession battle in this game will be extremely important and that starts on the glass. Thanks to the star play of guard Carsen Edwards, Purdue has one of the most efficient offenses in the nation and it would not be wise to allow them second or third-chance opportunities. If the Boilermakers are able to control the glass like they have against many other teams, this game might get out of hand.

Purdue has only been outrebounded three times so far this season so this key is not necessarily about winning the battle on the glass but finding a way to compete underneath. This means that Indiana’s fowards, most notably Juwan Morgan and Zach McRoberts, will need to be at their best while allowing guard Romeo Langford to swoop in for boards.

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