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NCAA Basketball: Buy or Sell Duke, Kentucky, Purdue, Villanova, and UConn?

By Tristan Freeman

Nov 18, 2022; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer gestures during the first half against the Delaware Blue Hens at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 18, 2022; Durham, North Carolina, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Jon Scheyer gestures during the first half against the Delaware Blue Hens at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rob Kinnan-USA TODAY Sports /
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Purdue’s head coach Matt Painter, right, talks with Fletcher Loyer 230116 Msu Purdue Bball 056a
Purdue’s head coach Matt Painter, right, talks with Fletcher Loyer 230116 Msu Purdue Bball 056a /

Purdue Boilermakers

After winning the Maui Invitational and beating three top-11 teams in the process, Purdue became the clear-cut No. 1 team in NCAA Basketball. There also were some who wondered whether or not this roster could run through the Big Ten, which doesn’t look overly intimidating from top to bottom.

Then came their arch-nemesis Northwestern on the road. The Wildcats beat No. 1 Purdue a year ago to cash their ticket to the NCAA Tournament and did it again, coming back to force it to overtime before winning it, 92-88. Guard Boo Buie went for 31 pts and 9 asts for the winners.

National Player of the Year frontrunner Zach Edey had 35 pts and 14 rebs and fouled out just about every frontcourt player for Northwestern. Guards Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith combined for 29 pts and 10 asts, as well as eight turnovers. But outside of Lance Jones giving 10 pts and solid defense, the rest of the supporting cast didn’t give much.

The frontcourt pairing with Edey and Trey Kaufman-Renn doesn’t look good, while the bench production hasn’t been great. If Edey isn’t great, Purdue is certainly vulnerable to losing on the road. Going 5/19 from deep isn’t going to cut it either. But as long as Edey is healthy and dominating, I simply can’t be down on the Boilermakers.

Buy

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