Purdue Basketball: Key questions for Boilermakers against Old Dominion

After losing their first game of the Big Ten Tournament, Purdue Basketball will look to bounce back in the NCAA Tournament against Old Dominion on Thursday night.

Here are the three questions that will determine the game for Purdue Basketball against Old Dominion.

1. Which Carsen Edwards shows up?

This has been the most essential question in every Purdue game this year. Edwards, the Big Ten’s leading scorer, is electric with the ball in his hands. He can pull-up from deep or use his strong lower body to get to the rim.

But Edwards has a tendency to chuck bad shots, especially when they aren’t falling. His field goal percentage has dipped seven percent from last season. He is shooting a poor 30 percent over his last seven games and his inefficiencies are the main cause in their losses.

In the tournament, the Boilermakers can not afford Edwards to have one of his off nights. There is not enough other scoring and playmaking around him. Old Dominion allows a stingy 60.8 points per game, so Edwards is going to need to be efficient from the tip.

2. Can Nojel Eastern shut down B.J. Stith?

Offensively, the Monarch rely heavily on B.J. Stith. Stith earned Conference USA Player of the Year honors while scoring just under 17 points per game and making over two three-pointers a game.

Enter Nojel Eastern. The 6’6 guard from Chicago will do all he can to prevent Stith from scoring. Eastern, who made first team all-defense in the Big Ten, has already had stellar defensive performances this year shutting down the likes of Romeo Langford, Cassius Winston, and Anthony Cowan.

Stith is a terrific player of the catch. He is knockdown from three and is effective at using 1-2 dribbles to get to his spot. Eastern has a height advantage, which he will use to deter Stith’s vision on some open looks.

If Eastern can limit Old Dominion’s best scoring option, then Purdue will be in good position to win this game.

3. Can the role players hit shots?

While Purdue relies on Edwards for offense, they also need other guys to step up and hit shots. Purdue made the most threes per game in the Big Ten this year.

The burden of making threes will be placed on the shoulders of seniors Ryan Cline and Grady Eifert. Cline was more consistent all year, scoring 12 points per game. But Eifert is the x-factor. When he is a threat from the perimeter, teams have a harder time helping on Edwards. But when EIfert has an off game, like last Friday in their loss to Minnesota, then Purdue is almost playing 4-5 on offense.

Purdue will also need solid contributions from their two centers, Matt Haarms and Trevion Williams. Neither is the player you feed in the post for a bucket, but finishing offensive rebounds and passes from the guards is going to be needed.

I think ultimately Edwards knows this is Purdue’s best chance to make a Final Four in a long time and he is going to come out ready on Thursday.