UVA Basketball: Keys to beating Purdue in the Elite Eight

2. Lock down the perimeter.

Virginia is one of the best teams in the country when it comes to 3-point defense. Thanks to elite perimeter defenders, such as De’Andre Hunter and Ty Jerome, and a dynamite scheme by head coach Tony Bennett, the Cavaliers do an incredible job shutting down open looks from distance. Over the course of this season, Virginia’s opponents have shot just 28.1% from beyond the arc, which is the second-best defensive mark in the nation. And while UVa does allow their opponents to attempt their fair share of trifectas, these looks clearly do not go down all that often due to the impressive close-outs and contests of the defense.

The Cavaliers are, though, very susceptible to dropping games if their opponents do somehow manage to knock down 3-pointers. And that is exactly what Purdue does better than just about any other team in the nation. Behind the sharpshooting talents of Grady Eifert and Ryan Cline, as well as the microwave disguised as Carsen Edwards, the Boilermakers shoot the three at a 37.1% clip as a team (47th nationally) and also exhibit one of the highest 3-point attempt rates. Because of this, it is easy to see how 39.2% of their total points scored come from beyond the arc (21st-highest).

Virginia’s defense of the 3-point line, in my opinion, will be the most important key to this game. If Edwards/Cline/Eifert are able to get enough clean looks to torch the nets, UVa’s season could come to end in this matchup. This weakness of the Cavaliers is evident in the fact that they are just 2-2 in games where their opponents have shot better than 37.1% from three (Purdue’s season average); they are 30-1 in all other games with the lone loss coming to Duke. On the flip side, though, Purdue will have very little chance of victory if they are not hitting those shots. The Boilermakers are 16-3 when shooting above their season average from distance and 10-6 in all other games.