Purdue looks to avoid a potential first-round upset to Yale in the NCAA Tournament. Can the Bulldogs find a way to pull off the shocker?
TV schedule: March 18th at TBS at 2:00 P.M
Location: Fiserv Forum (Milwaukee, WI)
The Purdue Boilermakers go into this game with a record of 27-7. They lost their last game in the Big Ten Championship game to the Iowa Hawkeyes. The Boilermakers are led by Jaden Ivey. Ivey is averaging 17 points per game on 46 percent shooting.
The Boilermakers have two other key players on this squad. Zack Edey and Trevion Williams are the two other key players on this squad. Edey averages 14 points per game on 65 percent shooting. Williams averages 11 points per game on 54 percent shooting.
Purdue has one of the better offenses in the country. The Boilermakers average 79 points per game. That is good for 9th in the country. While the Boilermakers are very good at the offensive end, this team has serious concerns on the defensive end. They have allowed 68 points per game this season, good for 155th in the country.
The Yale Bulldogs go into this game with a record of 19-11. The Bulldogs got into the tournament as the Ivy-league auto bid champ.
The Bulldogs are led by Azar Swain. Swain averages 19 points per game on 42 percent shooting. Yale is not very good at rebounding the ball as the top rebounder averages 4 rebounds per game. If Yale wants to win this game, they will also need scoring from Jalen Gabbidon. Gabbidon averages 11 points per game on 48 percent shooting.
If Yale wants to win this game, they will need to find a way to exploit the Boilermakers on the defensive end. If the Bulldogs can destroy this Purdue offense, then they will have a chance to win this game. While Yale may give Purdue challenges, Purdue will most likely beat this Yale team. This is not a game where I would expect an upset.
While the Boilermakers certainly have issues on their team, they are too talented to lose to this Bulldogs team. Swain and Gabbidon will give Purdue all he has, but Purdue is simply better than this squad.
Prediction: Purdue: 75, Yale 62