CROSSROADS CLASSIC
Date: Saturday, Dec. 21, 2019
Time: 2:30 p.m. ET
Venue: Bankers Life Fieldhouse (Indianapolis)
TV: BTN
Radio: Purdue Radio Network
Purdue Particulars: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
More: Purdue primer and GoldandBlack.com coverage
Butler Particulars: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
GoldandBlack.com in-game updates: @GoldandBlackcom | @brianneubert
ABOUT THIS GAME
After following up a maddening loss at Nebraska with an emphatic, complete blowout win at Ohio, Purdue returns to Indy for its final marquee non-conference game of the regular vs. 10-1 and top-20-ranked Butler at the Crossroads Classic.
Purdue's 2-6 all-time at the Crossroads Classic, but after losing its first five games in the series, it's won two of the last three. The future of the annual event is in question beyond the end of the current contract, which expires after next year's games.
Purdue and Butler are the early game, with Indiana vs. Notre Dame to follow.
• This game profiles as a low-scoring, and maybe slow, affair, similar to what Purdue faced vs. Virginia and Northwestern back to back.
Per KenPom, Purdue ranks fifth nationally in defensive efficiency; Butler is 17th.
In terms of tempo, Butler is 341st and Purdue two spots behind.
PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (7-4, 1-1 B1G)
ABOUT PURDUE
• Purdue was excellent at both ends of the floor in earning its first road win at Ohio, but especially on defense, heading into a meeting between two of the better defensive teams in college basketball.
• Purdue is expected to play its second straight game without center Matt Haarms, who suffered a concussion at Nebraska and was still experiencing symptoms as of Thursday.
• Purdue has won its last two meetings with Butler, including the second round of the NCAA Tournament in Detroit two seasons ago, one game after Isaac Haas broke his elbow in Round 1.
• Big man Trevion Williams' per-40-minutes numbers this season: 20.7 points, 14.4 rebounds, 3.0 assists. He's shooting nearly 69 percent from the floor.
• The Ohio game was a resurgent one for Nojel Eastern, who scored 11 points, mostly out of post-ups or in transition, while holding Ohio 4 man Ben Vander Plas — he averaged 13.6 points through 10 games — to 1-of-5 shooting, three points and three turnovers.
• Eric Hunter played the best game of his Boilermaker career — 18 points and game-changing defense against Ohio star Jason Preston — heading into a game in his hometown against a school he considered in recruiting.
• Purdue associate head coach Micah Shrewsberry was an assistant coach at Butler when it played in the 2010 and 2011 national title games.
#17 BUTLER BULLDOGS (10-1)
Butler Particulars: Roster | Schedule | Statistics
ABOUT BUTLER
• The Bulldogs have been one of the surprises of the college basketball season thus far, winning with defense and building a fine résumé early in the season, winning the Hall of Fame Classic In Kansas City with victories over Missouri and Stanford, then beating Ole Miss and Florida. Prior, it beat Minnesota In the Gavitt Games.
Butler's lone loss: A one-point loss at No. 11 Baylor.
• Matt Painter called Kamar Baldwin "one of the best guards in the country." The Bulldog leading scorer averages 15.7 per game.
When Baldwin was a sophomore, he was just 5-of-19 from the floor against the Boilermakers in the Crossroads Classic, then 5-of-16 in the NCAA Tournament. That was a long time ago, however.
• Opponents are averaging less than 55 points per game vs. Butler and shooting less than 40 percent, typically playing low-possessions-type games.
• Sean McDermott is nearly shooting 50 percent from three-point range, 25-of-51 for the season.
• Milwaukee transfer Bryce Nze has given the Bulldogs an Interior scoring threat, averaging 10-and-a-half points on 63-percent shooting. Butler will throw it to him in the post. Purdue typically doubles the post defensively.
BOTTOM LINE
Butler, on paper, is the better team, and Purdue will miss Matt Haarms more than the Ohio outcome might have suggested, but this game should play to the Boilermakers' strengths. They beat Virginia and Northwestern in games that were played the way this one might have to be. Baldwin is a stud, but Purdue's personnel defensively is such that it might have an answer. Williams has to be on the floor, Purdue has to make shots and the defense has to hold, though. If those things happen, Purdue should have a good chance for a marquee non-conference win.
GoldandBlack.com Prediction: PURDUE 58, BUTLER 55
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