Creature vs. Creature: Connecticut-Purdue Preview

This Thursday night, the Connecticut Huskies (29-4) and Purdue Boilermakers (27-9) will meet out West in the first of eight NCAA regional semifinal games.  The Huskies are the No. 1 seed that has impressed viewers in its first two tournament games, while the Boilermakers, a No. 5 seed, ran through and won the Big Ten Tournament.  They followed that up with a first round win over Northern Iowa and a second round upset of the Washington Huskies.

UConn has been on a mission since the beginning of the season.  Senior Jeff Adrien said in the preseason that anything less than a Final Four appearance for this team would constitute a failure.  The Huskies have been challenged this year, and this game will be no different.  Upperclassmen leaders Stanley Robinson, Hasheem Thabeet, A.J. Price, Craig Austrie, and Jeff Adrien are all ready to pick up the intensity level for Thursday night's game. Their defense and the way they rebound will be keys to success in advancing to the Elite Eight.

For Purdue, it’s all about their big three: sophomore trio JaJuan Johnson, E'Twaun Moore, and Robbie Hummel.  Freshman Lewis Jackson will also be someone to keep an eye on as the game develops.  In order for Purdue to be successful, they need to play old-school Big Ten basketball.  Tenacious defense and a slow tempo game would favor the Boilermakers.  This team has surprised a lot of people and is ready to give all the Huskies can handle in this regional semifinal.

Here to break it all down from Bleacher Report are UConn fan Dan Dinunzio and Purdue fan Tim Cary.

Is there any established rivalry here?

Dan:      It’s clear that there’s no rivalry whatsoever between these two basketball programs.  Purdue is a very hot five seed that is looking to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2000.

UConn is business as usual: a team that is loaded with talent and expects to make it to the Final Four in Detroit.  The Huskies are one of a record five Big East teams to make it to the Sweet Sixteen, and Purdue is just another bump in the road.  UConn is going out to play with the same mentality they and most teams have during this time of the year: survive and advance.

Tim:      No, if anything this game is meaningful to Purdue instead because it provides an opportunity to show how its program (and its conference as a whole) stacks up against one of the best teams the Big East has to offer. 

Purdue supporters and really all Big Ten fans are tired of hearing how ugly their conference is, and a strong Boilermaker showing against a No. 1 seed would go a long way toward improving the conference's national reputation.

How will each team's fan base travel to Phoenix?

Dan:     UConn has gone out West in both of its championship seasons (1999 and 2004).  The Huskies are a nationally recognized program in college basketball.  There will be plenty of UConn followers in attendance throughout the weekend.  When the tournament is narrowed down to sixteen, each game has great expectations.  In the end, there will be more fans cheering for the blue and white.

Tim:      Purdue has been stuck playing a long distance from home for the entire tournament: first Portland, now Glendale.  Despite that, I think the team will see a bit more fan turnout than expected, simply because of the magnitude of this game.  The Boilermakers haven't made it this deep into the Big Dance since 2000.
 

How will Connecticut match up with Robbie Hummel, E'Twaun Moore, JaJuan Johnson & Co.?

Dan:    The Huskies matchup well against the big three of Purdue.  Hummel is the leader of this team, but has been slowed due to a nagging back injury.  Stanley Robinson needs to play tight defense because of Hummel’s long range potential. 

E'Twaun Moore is a dangerous guard who can score at anytime.  Price and Walker will have to limit his ability to drive and how he attacks the basketball.  Moore is a sophomore who made second-team Big Ten honors for a second consecutive year.  UConn needs to locate him on the floor at all times.

JaJuan Johnson is another dangerous sophomore who has the athleticism and talent to battle with Hasheem Thabeet.  It’s important for Thabeet to stand tall in the middle and remain the same difference maker he has been all year long on defense.  Johnson led Purdue in scoring and rebounds during the season.  He led the Big Ten in shot-blocking and his quickness could pose a tough challenge for Thabeet in the middle. 

If the Boilermakers want to win they are going to need to attack Thabeet down low and take away Price’s shot.  When those two aren’t on the floor for the Huskies, they just aren’t the same.

Tim:      The key for Purdue's star sophomores is consistent ball movement.  The Boilers are at their best when Matt Painter's motion offense is clicking on all cylinders with quick, solid picks.  Hummel is extremely dangerous from the corners, and Moore does an excellent job attacking the rim off of ball screens. 

If UConn loses track of the Boilermakers' perimeter shooters, it could be a long night for the Huskies.  While Moore and Hummel are obvious threats, Keaton Grant and Nemanja Calasan have also been knocking down triples off the Boiler bench during the current winning streak.

Connecticut will succeed defensively if they can make Purdue work on each offensive possession and force the Boilermaker guards to go one-on-one (NBA clearout style).

How will Purdue look to get in the lane against Hasheem Thabeet? Can Johnson match him on the other end?

Dan:  There’s no doubt about it. Thabeet is the best defender in all of college basketball.  No other player alters shots in the lane and changes the way players take the ball to the rim like he does.  Purdue has to play within itself and run their offense if they want to win.  If they are able to make the three-point shot they will be in the game at the end.

JaJuan Johnson needs to play his game in order to help the Boilermakers advance.  The Boilermakers need to control the tempo of this game and not let it become a track meet.  The Huskies are a great team defensively and rely on outrebounding their opponents. Thabeet is a matchup nightmare for any team and if he gets it going offensively, watch out.

Tim:      For the Boilermakers, it's all about finishing at the rim.  Freshman point guard Lewis Jackson has the wheels to get inside, but he's not a big-time scorer, yet.  Purdue should look to drive and dish to the perimeter; that will help keep Thabeet's shot-blocking from changing the game.  The best option for the Boilers is to try and get Thabeet in foul trouble early. They really can't matchup with his size otherwise. 

If that doesn't work, JaJuan Johnson has developed a nice mid-range jumper. Plan B would see Painter try to use JJ's face-up game to pull Thabeet away from the paint. 
 

How will the Boilermakers account for AJ Price on the perimeter, and Jeff Adrien and Stanley Robinson inside?

Dan:  The Boilermakers must play lockdown defense on the perimeter and battle down low to have any chance of winning.  Purdue is a dismal 2-7 when allowing over 65 points in a game, which doesn't bode well considering that UConn averages over 78 points a game. Adrien had a great game against Texas A&M, and Robinson has picked up his production in scoring and rebounding substantially since Dyson went down. 

Purdue doesn’t have a real answer to the Huskies' weapons.  Price is on fire as of late, and he wants to bring a championship back to Storrs.  He’s the Huskies' best playmaker and has a superb feel for the game.  His awareness and vision on the court is usually the deciding factor in any of UConn’s close games this season.

Tim:      Purdue hangs its hat on tough, gritty half-court defense, and this regional semifinal will be no exception.  When the Boilers can force a couple deflections or snare some steals early, that really seems to help raise their intensity level.  Bottom line, Purdue can't beat the top-seeded Huskies without a great performance on the defensive end, and the key (as always) is going to be rebounding. 

Get a hand in the shooter's face, stop penetration, bother the dribbler, all that is well and good, but the Boilermakers have to get the defensive rebound to finish off each possession properly.  When Purdue's dominated on the glass, they give up too many points to win, end of story.

What player will be the x-factor if his team is to win the game?

Dan:     Senior guard Craig Austrie needs to show up and play to his potential for the Huskies to advance.  Austrie has been ice cold from three and has looked discouraged at times.  Austrie played on the last UConn team to make it to the Elite Eight (2006 against George Mason).  He knows what it takes to get back there and is ready for a breakout performance.

The Huskies have a lot of different options and whether Austrie starts or comes of the bench, he’s an instrumental part of how the Huskies play.  Kemba Walker needs to continue to attack the rim and run in transition.  When Gavin Edwards comes in to spare the big men he must rebound and get physical down.  During this time in March, each and every player needs to give their all and leave it out on the floor.

Tim:      Robbie Hummel, no question about it.  When Purdue almost let the Washington game slip away, it was because they couldn't get Hummel involved offensively.  The Boilermakers need consistent scoring and a great effort on the glass from Hummel if they hope to pull the upset.  I'll go a step further and say that Hummel needs to get 18 points, 10 boards, and take a charge, or Purdue will be headed home to West Lafayette on Friday.
 

What does the performance in the first two rounds say about this Sweet Sixteen matchup?

Dan:     UConn has arguably looked like the best team in the tournament so far.  The Huskies finished the regular season with a disappointing loss at Pittsburgh and the heartbreaking six-overtime thriller against Syracuse at Madison Square Garden.  They have obviously long forgotten what happened two weeks ago.  The Huskies are averaging 98 points in their two tournament games.  They are playing with the same stifling defense that led them in points allowed per game throughout the Big East schedule. 

The Huskies are focused on going out and executing the game plan put forward.  Thursday night should be no different in the way the Huskies come out and perform to the highest of levels.

Tim:      Purdue comes in with a lot of momentum. After dropping three of four to finish the regular season, the Boilers have roared back with five straight wins and a Big Ten tournament championship.  Beating Washington in front of a pro-Husky crowd in Portland was a gigantic step for this team's confidence.  Purdue has gotten off to quick starts early, and that trend must continue. 

The longer the Boilermakers hang in the game with Connecticut, the more they'll believe in their chances of executing down the stretch.

Prediction time: Who do you believe will win the game?

Dan:    Purdue is a scary team.  They have the talent and athleticism to go out and beat the Huskies, especially if UConn doesn’t show up.  With that being said, the Huskies are too focused on this game.  Who knows how many more years Calhoun is going to coach, and his players want to send him out on top cutting down the nets in Detroit.  UConn is going to out rebound, outplay, and outhustle Purdue in all phases of the game. 

Jim Calhoun has been in the same position before and although every team is different, he knows what it takes to get through and be the last team standing.  At the end of this game, the Huskies offense (led by Adrien, Robinson, and Price) is too much, and Thabeet’s dominant defensive presence continues.  Huskies win 72-62, in a game that is a lot closer then many people believe it’s going to be.

Tim:      The guess here is that Connecticut already has Final Four t-shirts printed.  Purdue's not supposed to win.  They know that.  I know that.  Of course, it's easy to forget that this "lowly No. 5 seed" was a preseason top 10 squad.  The Boilers are healthy, have absolutely no pressure, and play the kind of defense that could shock the world. 

The Final Four drought in West Lafayette has been way too long (Keady didn't make it there in a quarter century at the helm), and this year's team has as good a shot as any.  Purdue in a 68-66 stunner, if Hummel does his part on the stat sheet.