Game Preview - #1 Purdue vs Penn State Basketball

In Purdue and Penn State's first game of the season, Purdue traveled to Philadelphia to take on the Nittany Lions in the historic Palestra arena. In their rematch, #1 Purdue is the unanimous #1 team in the nation hoping to continue their historic 21-1 start to the season.

It's the best start in school history as Purdue has responded from their first and only loss of the season by winning 8 straight games including back to back wins against the state of Michigan.

Penn State knows a little something about beating Michigan, too, as Coach Shrewsberry's team is coming off a blow out 83-61 victory over the Wolverines on Sunday. In that game, the former Purdue assist coach, brought out a new starting lineup and his team responded with one of its best performances of the season.

Will that rotation shuffle work in Mackey Arena?

Out went Kebba Njie and Camren Wynter, in comes Caleb Dorsey and Michael Henn.

"I challenged them after that game at Rutgers, but that's what family's do... so I challenged them and they responded," Shrewsberry said after one of Penn State's best performances of the season where he choice to go with Dorsey and Henn in the starting lineup after what Shrewsberry said was a good week of practice from the two experienced bigs.

Penn State had a good warm up for facing Edey a second time with the new starting five being able to test themselves against Michigan's Hunter Dickinson. Painter expects them to use the same lineup and try to repeat some of the success they had doubling Dickinson inside with size.

He had this to say on Tuesday ahead of playing Penn State's new starting five:

"I would think any time you win, obviously they doubled Hunter Dickinson. I would think that they stay right there to start the game that way. Lot of times you go smaller, you're skilled. You can score more. You're more efficient offensively. But then when you want to come on a double or do something different, if you're smaller, you're not coming with size. And especially with Zach, people have kind of learned you either play him one on one and you fight him all game or if you do double, you come with size."

While Kevin Willard is marking Trayce Jackson-Davis as the best player in the Big Ten, Micah Shrewsberry has no problem admitting that Zach Edey is his most pressing concern and best player in the country.

"He's the player of the year in the country," Shrewsberry said in his press conference ahead of the Purdue game.

Not hard to figure out why Shrewsberry talks about Edey like he's a horror film monster and not a basketball player. Against Penn State, Edey put up 30 points on 21 shot attempts and grabbed 13 rebounds. It's one of five games this season Edey has went for 30 points or more. In his last game, Edey set his career-high with 38 points against Michigan State.

"You can't let him take your spirit on the court," Shrewsberry said after saying his guys just had to keep fighting against the inevitable big man.

"Not letting them get going shooting the basketball," Painter said about what his team needs to do to beat Penn State for a second time this season.

It's a tough ask.

Penn State is the 13th best shooting team in the country, making 38.5% of their three-point shots this season. Penn State has three players with more than 40 made threes that are shooting 39% or better on the season. Combine that with a team that doesn't turn the ball over - Penn State has the lowest turnover rate in the country at 13.1% - and Penn State has the kind of offense that can get hot and stay hot.

They've picked up big wins int he Big Ten already, knocking off Illinois on the road, beating Indiana at home, destroying Michigan on Sunday, and beating Iowa.

Purdue would be the signature win for a team with real NCAA aspirations under second year coach Micah Shrewsberry.

The most dangerous part of this team is that the shooters have one of the best players and play makers in the country getting them the ball in Jalen Pickett.

"He's a tough cover. He's a very unique player... just a good strong, experienced guard. We didn't make too many adjustments besides we went and picked him up."

Matt Painter had that to say about Pickett the day before Purdue has to set about guarding Pickett for the second time. Pickett still has one of the most wild stat lines in the country, scoring nearly 20 points a night, grabbing 8 rebounds, and dishing 7 assists. He did better than those numbers in every category in Purdue's first matchup against him, nearly going for a triple double.

Instead, Purdue defended Pickett well in the second half, deciding to have Morton pick Pickett up the whole length of the court. It helped to slow down the old school guard to a line of 26 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists while making 3 of 4 threes and turning the ball over just once.

Purdue limited the weapons around Penn State. Combined Seth Lundy, Andrew Funk, and Myles Dread went 4 of 14 from three.

Purdue will probably have to make a similar choice - try to limit Pickett, but make sure that even if he does get his, make sure he can't get the rest of his team going. Purdue's defense has improved since the Penn State game and is now firmly in the top-20 for efficiency. Pickett is the rare talent capable of breaking through a defense that's thrived on playing connected and rotating behind doubles.

Pickett is one of the most unheralded players in the country still and Mackey will get a treat to get to watch him, even if it threatens Purdue's 21-1 record.