After rolling through the first two rounds, Purdue and Matt Painter are facing their toughest test yet. In their way of a second straight Elite Eight is one of the best teams in the country in Houston.
The Cougars are the number one defense in the country, and also the number one three-point shooting team in the country. They're one of the most veteran teams in the country and have all the ingredients for a national championship team.
Key 1: Rebound
Like a broken record.
If you have read any of my Purdue previews before you'd know that rebounding is incredibly important to this team. In this game, Trey Kaufman-Renn should be among the biggest players as Houston does not feature lots of height.
This means his ability to control the glass, as well as guys like Cam Heide and Caleb Furst to help chip in will be paramount. The Boilermakers cannot give second chances to a team that shoots as well as Houston and expect to win.
Key 2: Score in transition
With Houston having the top defense in the country and playing at one of the slowest paces in the country, Purdue will need to capitalize on their few easy chances.
The Boilermakers employ a switch-heavy defense that at times has forced lots of turnovers. Purdue being able to force those turnovers and get the ball to Braden Smith could allow them to get some easy baskets on an often impenetrable Houston defense.
While the Cougars do a good job of limiting transition typically, Smith picking his spots well to run could be a difference maker in this Sweet 16 matchup.
Key 3: Punish the lack of size
While Houston is an elite rebounding team and two-point defense, the Cougars do not have a rotation player over six-foot-eight.
This will be massively important for Kaufman-Renn, Furst, and even the sparingly-played seven-foot Will Berg to utilize their size to their advantage. Kaufman-Renn especially is a shot blocker's nightmare.
Despite standing at six-eight, Kaufman-Renn has a slurry of post moves and a deep bag of footwork that gives any interior defender problems. His ability to punish the lack of size in the Houston frontcourt could be a massive swing.