Super Tuesday is tomorrow and it is going to be a big one. At 9:00 P.M. Tuesday night Pitt takes the undefeated and 11th ranked Purdue Boilermakers. This game is a part of the ACC/Big Ten challenge and can be seen on ESPN2.
This is the crown jewel of Pitt’s out of conference schedule, partly because the Gonzaga game was cut short. Nevertheless anytime a team ranked 11th in the AP polls comes to town it is a big deal. It is no secret that this game is huge for the Panthers. Not only is it a chance to prove they are legit, but also a win would provide a high quality mark on their tournament resume. This game could very well show what kind of team Pitt is this year.
Purdue is not 6-0 by accident, they have won every game by double digits. However, their only true quality win was against Florida. The Boilermakers are a team lead by sophomore center Isaac Haas. This 7’2 monster in the middle leads the team in points per game at 15. He is not the leading rebounder though, that title goes to freshman forward Caleb Swanigan at 9.2 per game. Those two begin the trend of Purdue utilizing underclassmen. Every one of their starters is an underclassman, which includes four sophomores and one freshman.
Pitt on the other hand has a starting lineup, which boasts a lot of experience. Jamel Artis and Michael Young are both juniors, while James Robinson is a senior and both Alonzo Nelson-Ododa and Sterling Smith are graduate transfers. Pitt also has yet to be truly tested either. The toughest team they faced so far, Gonzaga, was only for the first half, so it is hard to tell how they would have faired in the second. Since then they have dominated all four games they have played.
Keys-
1.REBOUND
Purdue’s frontcourt has excellent size, 7’2 and 6’9. But that size does not stop there, off the bench they have another seven-foot center and a six foot nine forward. They utilize that size well too, as they are 10th in the nation in rebounding percentage at 58.7%. In comparison Pitt ranks 72nd nationally bringing in 53.9% of all rebounds. Last game the Panthers let Kent State have their way on the boards at times. Against a rebounding good Purdue team that simply cannot happen if they expect to win.
2.Start Fast
As it was noted earlier Purdue plays a lot of underclassmen and they have yet to be tested this year. That is why starting fast has to be key for the Panthers. Getting Purdue to get flustered will only make the Pete louder. It is already a tough place to play for opponents, couple that with an early lead and things look good for Pitt. As well, anytime you are trying to pull off an upset at home it is critical to get momentum on your side. Once you have that momentum players will know they can win.
3.No Easy Looks
Purdue is effective from beyond that arch. On the season they average attempting 25.5 threes per game, while converting them at a 39.2% rate. Pitt has held opponents to just 29.7% from deep this year, but those teams only attempted an average of 18.5 per game. Purdue will let it fly like no one Pitt has seen this year, which makes it imperative that the Panthers do not let them get comfortable with easy looks.
Match-up to Watch-
Alonzo Nelson-Ododa vs. Isaac Haas
Alonzo is the closest thing Pitt has to a rim-protector on their team. The problem is he has struggled, the only category he leads the team in is personal fouls. However, Dixon will need him to play big against Haas. The sophomore center is Purdue’s best offensive player and he leads them on the defensive end at 2.3 blocks per game. If Haas gets Alonzo into foul trouble it will be a tough night for Pitt, because their depth at center is slim.
Prediction-
Numbers and rankings make it seem as though Purdue should not have a problem with the Panthers. However, games are not won on paper and this is the type of game where the Pete comes to life. I see this game being fast paced on both sides, ultimately though Jamel Artis and Michael Young will be too much to handle as Dixon’s squad gets its’ first big win of the season.
Final: Pitt- 80 Purdue-74