Big Ten Basketball: Analyzing each team’s 2021-22 opening night matchup
Bellarmine at Purdue
The biggest talking about in West Lafayette is that the Purdue Boilermakers were returning all five starters to a team that finished fourth in the Big Ten and lost in the first round to North Texas in the NCAA Tournament. The categories that they could be considered elite in the Big Ten were; being the third-highest rebounding team and having the third-best two-point field goal percentage.
Purdue has players who are projected to improve this season as starting off-guard Jaden Ivey is expected to be one of the best sophomores in the nation, as well as the 7’4 Canadian Zach Edey. Edey showed how effective he could be by scoring 20 points in 20 minutes versus the University of Indianapolis, who started a 6’7 center. Purdue will attempt to demonstrate how advantageous it is to have a returning starting line-up when they tip-off versus Bellarmine on Tuesday at 8 pm (ET)
Potential warning signs: If Head Coach Matt Painter does not relay to the team that they should not expect to be able to turn the intensity on and of like a light switch, it will not cost them a victory versus Bellarmine, but will in Big Ten play. A prime example was their 86-64 victory over UINDY. The game opened up with an 11-2 UINDY run that was facilitated by Purdue missed free throws and turnovers. The Boilermakers would take a lead for good at 7:45 when they pulled ahead 22-20, such will not be the case if they allow Michigan and Ohio State to take an early big lead.
For continued success: With Trevion Williams and Zach Edey in the paint and Jaden Ivey with his dribble-drive capabilities, the Boilermakers are going to score a lot of points in the paint. This aspect was of full display versus the Greyhounds. The Boilermakers had 28 points in the paint, via four dunks and ten lay-ups. The important by-product of those opportunities in the paint and which will be important for the Boilermakers to succeed are the 23 free-throws they attempted.
Last season the Boilermakers shot 73 percent from the free-throw line, with four of the returning starters above that, while Trevion Williams shot 50 percent. On Thursday they connected on just 60 percent, but continued trips to the line will result in continued success.