New Orleans (3-7) vs #1 Purdue Boilermakers (11-0)

Boilermaker Kids Club Game #2

Wednesday, December 21st - 9PM EST

West Lafayette, Indiana - Mackey Arena (home of your top ranked Purdue Boilermakers)

TV: ESPNU

New Orleans Roster

Preview

Folks, I normally spend a few hours on these previews, but it’s a busy day, and no disrespect to New Orleans, but this is going to be a slaughter. The Privateers are currently ranked 344th out of 361 teams. Butler beat them 89-53, LSU beat them 91-62, The Citadel beat them 72-65, Portland beat them 100-61, and Boise State destroyed them 91-50.

The only question regarding this game is Purdue’s margin of victory. If Coach Painter wants to beat them by 50, he will. The only limiting factor to this game is Purdue’s stomach for carnage in the second half. Matt Forst, Chase Martin, Sam King, and Carson Barrett better be prepared to play big minutes, because this game should be ugly early.

What I Want to See From Purdue

Shooting is the obvious answer. The Boilermakers are putrid from behind the arc in the last few games. This needs to be a confidence builder. They’ll be back in the friendly confines of Mackey with their preferred basketball and a team that gives up points like Indiana playing a ranked team.

I’d also like to see David Jenkins get going. He’s yet to find his groove, and Purdue is going to need him at some point this season. If he’s ever going to get into a groove, now is the time. He’s got an off the bounce mid-range game that could be extremely useful in Big10 play. This is the prefect “get right” game for the veteran guard.

The same goes for Trey Kaufman-Renn. He’s had a few decent games, but it looks like he’s never shot a basketball outside of 4 feet before, and I know that’s not true. I don’t know if it’s a confidence thing or rust from sitting out last season, but it’s been ugly. He’s gone from a guy many predicted to as a stretch 4 coming into Purdue, to a 6’9” back to the basket center. That’s fine, but it’s time for the highest rated recruit on this roster (2nd highest recruit in the “*” era for Purdue) to relax and unlock the rest of his game. Jerry Meyer, the director of basketball scouting for 247 sports said TKR was “a good three-point shooter with quality mechanics,” coming out of Silver Creek and compared him to Kyle Kuzma. I want to see that tonight.

Prediction

KenPom

Purdue - 91

New Orleans - 58

Confidence - 99.9%

Drew

Purdue 105

New Orleans - 58

Purdue has been frustrated on offense over the last two games, failing to reach 70 points against Nebraska (in overtime) and Davidson, in two games that wouldn’t have been close if Purdue could shoot. This feels like a break out game in the friendly confines of Mackey. I’m not sure what the widest margin of victory is, but the Boilermakers have a chance to break it against New Orleans...and an even better chance to break it against Florida A&M next Thursday.