NCAA Basketball: Buy or Sell preseason top 25 teams of 2021-22 after a month

7. Purdue Boilermakers

There was a lot of hype regarding the Boilermakers this offseason and the expected breakout campaign of sophomore guard Jaden Ivey after his time with the U19 Team USA group. And he has looked the part at times, leading the team overall with 16.4 ppg ad 3.4 apg. He’s been putting up a lot of stats in each game, including nearly getting a triple-double on multiple occasions.

The biggest storyline has been the center position. Trevion Williams was an All-Big Ten player last season but instead, it was 7’4 sophomore center Zach Edey that has been getting the starting nod. Since they can’t play together on the court, one has to start while the other comes off the bench. So far, there haven’t been any problems, with both Edey and Williams averaging at least 14.0 ppg and 7.0 rpg.

The supporting cast, which features Isaiah Thompson, Sasha Stefanovic, and Brandon Newman, has been good but also inconsistent. It showed up this past week, falling to Rutgers on the road and needing overtime to beat NC State after getting the No. 1 ranking for the first time in program history.

This team might not be No. 1 in the polls but the early performances have shown their ability to win both a Big Ten and even a national title. Having one of the best frontcourt players in the country on the floor at times is an advantage no one else in the country has. And assuming that Ivey continues to get better throughout the ceiling, the sky will be the limit for Purdue.

Buy