NCAA Bracket 2010 Prediction: Five Reasons Siena Will Upset Purdue

Biggest winner of Selection Sunday? One could make a strong case for the Siena Saints, who will play the Purdue Boilermakers this Friday at 2:30 ET. 

Despite being the No. 13 seed, the Saints will not lose this game. Here are five reasons why.

1. Rebounding

If Purdue wasn't a solid rebounding team with Robbie Hummel, they certainly aren't without their stud junior. The Boilermakers have been out-rebounded 178 to 119 in the five games since Hummel tore his ACL while the Saints have averaged 4.1 more rebounds per game than their opponents.

JaJuan Johnson is now the only player coach Matt Painter can rely on to clean the glass while Siena has Ryan Rossiter, averaging 11.1 boards per game, and MAAC POY Alex Franklin, collecting eight per night.

2. Purdue's Lack of Three-Point Shooting

Although Siena's opponents only shoot 32.9 percent from three, anyone who watches Fran McCaffery's team should be able to recognize Siena's weakness around the perimeter. The Saints have allowed opponents to shoot over 40 percent from deep in three of their six losses.

The Boilermakers shoot an inefficient 31.9 percent from beyond the arc and E'Twaun Moore is the team's only deep threat.

3. Purdue's Lack of Three-Point Defense

Purdue's opponents have shot 35.7 percent from long range against the Boilermakers this year, and while the Saints only shot 32.3 percent this season, they have a bunch of capable shooters who will convert open threes.

Edwin Ubiles, shooting 39.4 percent from deep, and Clarence Jackson, converting 35.7 percent of his threes, will certainly take advantage of Purdue's perimeter defense.

Those are the Saint shooters everyone should know about by now, but Kyle Griffin is the unknown deep threat on Siena. He probably won't play late in the game, but he's the kind of shooter who can come in at the end of the first half and provide his team with a few quick treys.

Coach Fran McCaffery might not play Griffin, but the sharpshooter can certainly hurt Purdue.

4. Siena's Un-Foul Play

The Saints only foul 13.8 times per game, avoiding the bonus and foul trouble and keeping opponents off the line. Purdue shoots 72.6 percent from the charity stripe, and Siena won't give the Boilermakers a chance to capitalize for free.

5. Ronald Moore

Ronald Moore, the nation's assists leader, is one of the most valuable point guards in the tournament field. Pushing the tempo and distributing the ball in an effective manner, he is the catalyst behind Siena's offense.

Set to start in his fifth NCAA Tournament game, Moore brings experience to the floor. Purdue does not have a true point guard, so Siena should have an edge down the stretch of a close game.

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