GOLDANDBLACK.COM PREVIEW: #15 PURDUE vs. NORFOLK STATE

About this game: Winner of five straight, 15th-ranked Purdue looks to make it six to close non-conference play, finishing the pre-game slate with a buy game vs. Norfolk State, which just snapped an eight-game losing streak with an overtime win over Eastern Kentucky. The 3-9 Spartans did put a scare in Mississippi State to open the season, though, before falling 78-74 in Starkville.

RANKINGS AND STUFF

Team	AP	Coaches	RPI	KenPom	KenPom - Win%

Purdue	15	15	37	12	99%
Norfolk State	—	—	279	307	1%

No. 15 PURDUE BOILERMAKERS (10-2)

Roster | Schedule | Statistics

Projected Starters

C - Isaac Haas (7-2, 290, Jr.)

The Boilermaker big man is in a "funk," as he called it, struggling to finish around the basket, for whatever reason. If he goes up with authority and plays his size, one would think things would even out before long. He wasn't making shots vs. Western Illinois, but dominated the referees' whistles, and thus the game in other ways.

F- Caleb Swanigan (6-9, 250, Fr.)

The Big Ten's reigning player-of-the-week got this week off on a great foot with a 21-point, 21-rebound showing against Western Illinois. He's been dominant and consistent all season and that doesn't figure to let up any time soon, if ever. Meanwhile, Vincent Edwards is rolling, making shots and sucking up offensive rebounds like a Shop-Vac, and scoring on post-ups. After an early season slump he's back.

G - Carsen Edwards (6-0, 190, Fr.)

The freshman struggled against Western Illinois. Best to get it out of the way in games like that one, though. We doubt that one game would give Matt Painter reason to change the starting lineup again, but you never know. Carsen Edwards has been pretty important defensively too.

G- P.J. Thompson (5-10, 188, So.)

Last five games: 26 assists, two turnovers. And he's doing it while making more plays off the dribble and making bolder passes than he did a year ago. He's making threes and scoring in the lane and making hustle plays.

G - Dakota Mathias (6-4, 200, Jr.)

The shooting's dropped off ever so slightly - he's 0-for-4 from three the past two games - but the masterful passing has not and the defense continues to be one of the great individual improvement/effort stories of this season for Purdue. The past two games, Mathias contributed to silencing Steve Vasturia in the first half against Notre Dame, then VJ Beachem in the second, then Western Illinois leading scorer Garret Covington. Ryan Cline, too. His defense has come a long way, also, and he's shooting 50 percent from three. Good combination.

NORFOLK STATE (3-9)

Roster | Schedule | Statistics

Projected Starters

Forward -13 Stavian Allen (6-7, 200, Jr.)

Center - 44 Dan Robinson (7-0, 215, Jr.)

Guard -2 Zaynah Robinson (5-11, 180, Jr.)

Guard - 3 Jonathan Wade (6-4, 190, Sr.)

Guard - 24 Kyle Williams (6-4, 185, Jr.)

THREE THINGS

Be Physical	Turnovers	Effort

If Caleb Swanigan and particularly Isaac Haas are physical, Purdue should be able to generate a good amount of scoring on the interiour and control the glass and in games like this, those two things might just be enough.	Purdue's halted its most urgent concern the past two games. It will want to keep it up and enter Big Ten play with some momentum on that front. P.J. Thompson has never been turnover-prone, but he's been particularly good of late.	Purdue's last non-conference game will be a pretty non-descript one. It would be human nature for the Boilermakers to phone one in here, but it's done well since the Georgia State game showing up for every opponent.

PREDICTION: PURDUE 94, NORFOLK STATE 60

Not much to say here. This should be your typical drama-free affair so long as Purdue shows up with a respectable effort. Then, its attention turns to a Big Ten season in which it looks the part of a legitimate contender.

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