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Auburn Basketball: 3 keys to victory over Purdue Boilermakers

Tigers fans will welcome a No. 16 ranked Boilermakers squad to nearby Birmingham on Saturday for a top-25 clash that could see Bruce Pearl's squad hoisted to the No. 1 spot come Monday.

Holiday Hoopsgiving Atlanta - Auburn v Ohio State
Holiday Hoopsgiving Atlanta - Auburn v Ohio State | Kevin C. Cox/GettyImages
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Attack the rim & Own the Glass

Purdue wasn't necessarily a dominant defensive team at the rim last season, but Edey's 7'4 imposing frame & near 8-foot wingspan did make opponents think twice about taking it to the rim. This year things haven't really improved in that area in Edey's absence.

The Boilermakers excel by playing a balanced & extremely efficient offense. Nothing done extremely well, but it all comes together in a 121.3 adjusted offensive efficiency rating (Per KenPom). Good enough for top ten in the nation, but overall being dragged down by an adjusted defensive efficiency rating of 100.3, good enough for 64th in the nation.

The Tigers can separate themselves by taking advantage of Purdue's lack of fouling (15.5 per game) and pounding the paint. Where Auburn excels (normally with Broome in rotation), knocking down 21.6 2-point field goal attempts a game at a rate of 61.2% (9th in the nation).

Bruce Pearl's squad will need to take advantage of the Boilermaker's lack of offensive boards (8.7 per game) & create second-chance opportunities, given Broome's absence. I think Johnson & starting big man Dylan Cardwell are up to the task.