Purdue vs. Iowa - Game Preview

It's rarely boring when Purdue plays Iowa. No matter the score, or how favored Purdue is before a game, Matt Painter knows that the lead is never big enough against Fran McCaffrey's Hawkeyes.

"They are a very dangerous team," Painter said with something of a smile after practice on Sunday in preparation for his Boilers to host Iowa in Mackey Arena Monday evening. "But they're elite when they get behind."

Purdue knows all too well how dangerous Iowa can be coming from behind.

In 2017 Iowa erased a 9 point lead against the Boilers to win 83-78.

But it was 2016, the second of January, when Iowa formed itself into a mythological monster in Purdue lore. Purdue had as high as a 17-point lead in the second half before Fran McCaffrey unleashed his unique full court press and trapping that created nightmares and turnovers for Purdue. The effectiveness of that comeback has helped unfurl a narrative that Purdue can't handle a press, one that is still around today.

Now a reset backcourt with transfer Lance Jones, and a shining sophomore, Braden Smith, will look to bounce back after turning the ball over too much on the road at Northwestern and costing the #1 Boilers its first game of the season.

The opening Big Ten loss was not the start the Big Ten reigning champs and favorites to repeat were looking for, but Purdue will get a chance to level its Big Ten record in front of a sell out crowd at home.

While Iowa offers Purdue a lot of challenges with the way they press on defense and score the ball on offense, coming off an upset that saw Purdue turn the ball over 17 times, Matt Painter has focused on what his team can do to improve itself in a short turnaround from Friday.

It was a mixed bag against Northwestern. Purdue couldn't hit shots, going 5 of 19 from three despite numerous good looks. It's a problem that plagued Purdue most of last season, but Purdue went into Northwestern as one of the best three-point shooting teams in the country. It's still shooting better than 40% from three on the season.

The turnovers aren't a new issue either even if the turnover number was slightly exaggerated by circumstance.

"We had three post feeds that were turnovers," Painter said when talking about the turnovers that cost Purdue a loss in overtime at Northwestern. "From a functionality standpoint, you're trying to get the ball to Zach Edey."

"When you're making those turnovers, sure you've got to do a better job with it, but you're still trying to do what we're asking you to do."

It's not the kind of turnovers that's driving Painter crazy and costing Purdue games. It's the quantity and when they're coming.

"It's when you got them," Painter said. "They [Northwestern] have three turnovers for the game, we have four in overtime. That's a huge statement. I don't know if I've ever been in a game like that."

Purdue executed brilliantly on the final two plays of regulation, throwing a full court pass to Edey and calling a timeout to set up a lob across the paint to Edey on the far block where the big man could lay the ball in to tie the game and send it to extras.

As Purdue's head coach pointed out, it was then in overtime where Purdue turned the ball over four times and cost itself its first loss of the season and probably the #1 ranking it earned by winning the Maui Invitational.

After the game, Purdue's players were still confident in themselves and the purpose of this team. It's a confidence that assistant coach and offensive play-caller, PJ Thompson, agrees with. If anything, that confidence in what the team has on offense should be part of the solution to its turnover issues.

"Play safe," Thompson said about what his team needs to do to limit turnovers. "Be simple. We have so much talent, we have so many pieces, and we have actions to put people in the right spots to be successful. If we can just be better in our decision making, we'll have less turnovers."

While six of those turnovers fell on point guard Braden Smith, and fatigue certainly might play a part in Smith's decision making - no one outside of Zach Edey does more for Purdue - Purdue has sometimes been caught in trying to do too much or too many different things at times. A tendency that Thompson wants his guys to fight against.

"I think it's just mental," Thompson said of the turnovers. "You've got to understand it's okay doing the same thing over and over again and having success. It's okay playing off two feet and making good decisions."

Purdue will be tested against an Iowa team that has a history of forcing Purdue into errant decisions.

Iowa has, without shock, started the season scoring the ball. Kenpom has Iowa as the 14th best offense in the country. There's not much on the offensive end it hasn't done well.

Iowa is shooting a decent 35% from three, 55% from inside the arc, and getting to and making free throws at an above average clip. In contrast to Purdue, it hardly ever turns the ball over. It's been the fifth stingiest offense in the country in turning it over.

Iowa didn't come into the season with much praise, but looks to have separated itself from the middle of the pack in the Big Ten. It's been tested early, losing to Creighton on the road 92-84 and Oklahoma 79-67 on a neutral floor.

Its only quality win was a 85-72 victory against Seton Hall.

But the pieces have looked good, a year after losing All-Big Ten forward and leading scorer Kris Murray.

Ben Krikke has been a revelation after transferring from Valparaiso. He's scoring almost 20 points a game while shooting better than 60% from the field. Krikke is good inside, but great from the mid-range. He's only taken 2 three-pointers on the season, but his ability to hit shots from the mid-range will be a challenge for Purdue's defense and Zach Edey who likes to stay close to the rim to offer some of the best rim deterrence in the country.

"Krikke's a guy that will stretch out Zach," Painter said ahead of the game.

In general, it's Iowa's variety and ability to mix its players that make them so dangerous according to Painter.

"They have a lot of interchangeable pieces," Painter said.

Name an Iowa player, and you'll name someone having a pleasant start to the season.

Maybe none more than true freshman Owen Freeman, who has been an offensive wizard in his first action. He hasn't played a bunch of minutes, but he's making the most of them. He's averaging over 10 points a game in less than 15 minutes of action a game.

Payton Sandfort has become one of the most productive wings in the Big Ten. He's up to 24 minutes a game from 20 last season, but in spots his production has doubled. He's now grabbing 8.4 rebounds a game to just 4.1 last season. He's chucking the ball a lot, getting up more than 6 threes a game, and making just better than 32% of his attempts.

He's one of a few Hawkeyes capable of lighting it up from deep.

Tony Perkins is one of Iowa's most dynamic guards, and has improved on the defensive side of the ball while he's lowered his turnover rate.

Iowa is one of the few teams in the country that can say it goes ten deep in the rotation. Purdue matches that capability though freshman Myles Colvin's minutes have been inconsistent as he accustomates himself to college basketball.

There isn't an Iowa player that averages more than 30 minutes a game. That depth can really pay off when playing someone as dominant and foul-drawing as Zach Edey, who fouled out two players against Northwestern on his way to drawing 15 fouls for the game.

Edey is now the #1 player in the country at drawing fouls. He draws 10.9 fouls per forty minutes.

Iowa isn't just playing guys to play them. Iowa has five players averaging double-digits.

But Iowa does have defensive deficiencies. The one thing it has done well is not put teams on the line.

But teams are shooting nearly 50% from inside the arc and Iowa is giving up an offensive rebound on over 30% of team's misses against them. It lacks rim protection, and in the games its lost, giving up points inside at the rim has been a major concern. Iowa lacks elite height and rim protection at the rim.

That's a scary proposition going up against Zach Edey and a Boilermaker team that out rebounded Northwestern 52-27 on the road.

This isn't the Purdue team of season's past.

Braden Smith has elevated himself as a point guard in total control of the offense. His turnovers have been almost entirely in the half court and of the trying to do a little too much variety. He's got a great handle, controlled, and the kind of burst to get around presses and traps in the full court.

Lance Jones might be even better against the press. Jones is all strength, low to the ground, and quick with the ball. During the summer, Jones excelled against simulated press and has shown his ability to get up court came with him from Southern Illinois.

It's the most dynamic back court since Painter took over at Purdue. The two ball handlers make the idea of breaking Iowa's press much more tenable, and it's possible Purdue can use that pressure against Iowa to get good, clean one on one looks to Edey in the post.

Getting the ball to Edey will once again be a priority for Purdue and likely the difference. Iowa hasn't shown the connectivity on defense that teams need to force turnovers to try and deal with Edey's skill and size inside. Without that, a team doesn't have much chance to keep up with a Purdue team that will be looking to make a statement that it is a team as good as it thinks it is, despite the loss at Northwestern.