Purdue vs Xavier - Game Preview

Sean Miller brings an Xavier team with ten new players into Mackey Arena for the last Gavitt Games contest for Purdue on Monday night.

Between transfers and freshmen, Miller's squad is an inexperienced, but talented squad still trying gel on the court.

Miller is in his second year at Xavier after being fired at Arizona amidst an FBI investigation.

Xavier won both of its first two contests, beating Robert Morris 77-63 and Jacksonville 79-56 last week. Xavier is ranked 39th in Kenpom and has the 37th best offense and 43rd best defense taking into metrics from this season and last.

But Xavier is also a team missing three players that were expected to make an impact for Miller that are likely out for the season.

In its first game, Xavier turned the ball over 17 times while it has struggled to knock down shots from the perimeter, shooting 27.5% from three.

Purdue doesn't want anyone comfortable when they have the ball on the court. That was why Matt Painter brought Lance Jones to Purdue and something he's focused on in practice all summer.

Two games into the season and the Boilers are coming off its second win of the season, a game where Painter categorized his defense as ' just alright' after the Morehead State win and didn't back away from that after watching tape.

Xavier is a team that really likes to play with pace. It has the 52nd fastest pace in the country through its two games and Dayvion McKnight will be Purdue's first big test at stopping a lead guard capable of getting into a defense and creating.

Xavier's shared some of the same issues that the Boilers have had over the first two games of the season - turnovers and poor three-point shooting. (Purdue was lights out in its first game of the season, mind you.)

But Xavier is just over 27% from three on the season and Coach Sean Miller has had to implore his players to not settle for bad jump shots.

McKnight will be a fascinating match up for Purdue point guard, Braden Smith, who has been Purdue's most consistent pressure force in the backfield and nearly went for a triple-double against Moorehead State, falling just two rebounds shy of it. Unlike Smith, McKnight has been hesitant to shoot from deep and hasn't attempted a three on the season. Instead, McKnight likes to gets out in transition, attack off the dribble, and get to the foul line.

An emphasis for Purdue in practice was checking McKnight early on missed and made shots, ensuring that a body is between him and the basket at all times. Purdue will look to force Xavier into half court sets and not let their athletic bigs and wings get transition looks and into their offense early.

Desmond Claude is the lone leftover playing minutes for Sean Miller this season. The sophomore has gotten off to a fast start, dropping 25 and 12 points in his first two contests.

Claude is a 6'6" scorer that can get to the hoop, shoot, score in the post, or at the rim. He's a great test for a team that hasn't had to face a tough shot maker on the perimeter yet this year. Ethan Morton will be back from an illness, and has been Purdue's best lock down wing, but Lance Jones and Fletcher Loyer have gotten the starting nod.

Loyer gives up size and athleticism to Claude. Will Painter try and guard Claude with the potentially overmatched Loyer or will Jones get the assignment? The transfer Jones comes to Purdue with a defensive calling card but gives up significant size to Claude.

Off the bench Purdue has two freshman, redshirt Camden Heide, and true freshman Myles Colvin. Colvin will probably be tasked with guarding a less dangerous weapon on the wing when he plays, but Heide who has flashed as a potential all-around defender, has the size to give Claude a difficult time on the perimeter and inside.

Morton's the most likely to get the assignment if Claude gets going, but his offense remains one of Purdue's biggest unknowns. Regardless, it will be a telling show of how Purdue's defense will look to solve shot makers this season.

For all the moving pieces around him, Purdue's performance still most likely depends on Zach Edey's continued dominance. It's all guesswork for how Miller will decide to defend Edey. Xavier doesn't have the size to match Edey inside one on one. No one does, and it has length on the wing to potentially get in Edey's way and clutter passing lanes.

But as Painter has said every week this season, there's nothing Edey hasn't seen at this point. Purdue has prepared for doubling, one on one, and every other version in between during the summer and in prep during the week.

Edey said his focus is just on the next game, and the next win heading into the Xavier game. For the reigning National Player of the Year, it's business as usual.

For us, it's the first game of the season where Edey can remind the country that he's the best player in the sport again a quality opponent.

Purdue is already two wins deep into the season. But Monday will be its first test.