Purdue Basketball Still Searching For Defensive Success As Offense Continues To Shine

The Boilermakers have been putting up points in bunches lately, but their defense has been suspect. Can they turn things around and get back to their winning ways?

Purdue’s defensive struggles

It’s no secret that the Boilermakers have had their fair share of struggles on the defensive end of the floor this season. After ranking in the top 10 in defensive efficiency each of the last two years, Purdue currently sits at just 48th nationally in that metric. With their offense firing on all cylinders – they rank 5th in offensive efficiency – the Boilers have managed to stay afloat with a 8-5 record. But if they want to make a run at an NCAA tournament bid, they’ll need to figure out their issues on defense.

One major problem has been perimeter defense After forcing opponents to shoot just 30% from three-point range last season (6th in the nation), Purdue has seen that number jump up to 35% this year (203rd). They’ve also allowed opposing teams to get to the Foul Line more often, as their free throw rate has climbed from 29% last year (54th) to 32% (174th) so far this season.

Part of the problem has been personnel, as the Boilers have had to replace two key defenders from last year’s team in P.J. Thompson and Vince Edwards But even with those losses, there’s no reason why this team should be struggling so much on defense. With Carsen Edwards and Ryan Cline leading the way on offense, Purdue has more than enough firepower to make up for any struggles on that end of the floor. If they can figure out their issues on defense, they’ll be a tough out come March.

The Boilermakers’ offensive success

The Boilermakers are currently 6-2, with their only losses coming to then-No. 3 Iowa and current No. 5 Texas. Purdue’s offense has been clicking on all cylinders as of late. The Boilermakers rank second in the Big Ten in scoring offense, averaging 82.4 points per game TCU transfer Matt Haarms has been a big part of the offense’s success, as he is averaging 12.8 points and 5.4 rebounds per game while shooting 58 percent from the field and 41 percent from three-point range.

Purdue’s defense, on the other hand, has been a major concern for Head Coach Matt Painter The Boilermakers rank ninth in the Big Ten in scoring defense, allowing 72 points per game In their two losses, Iowa and Texas scored a combined 168 points while shooting 50 percent from the field and 42 percent from three-point range.

Painter has said that he is “not happy” with the state of the team’s defense and that they need to “get better in a hurry.” The Boilermakers will have a chance to improve on that end of the floor this Saturday when they take on No. 22 Maryland at home.

How the team is adjusting

The Purdue basketball team is still searching for defensive success as the offense continues to shine. The Boilermakers are coming off a 90-77 win against Northwestern in which they allowed the Wildcats to shoot 50 percent from the field and 42 percent from three-point range. It was the third time in the last four games that an opponent has shot 50 percent or better against Purdue, and the second time in that span that an opponent has made at least 10 three-pointers.

The Boilermakers are still adjusting to life without senior center Isaac Haas, who suffered a season-ending injury in the first round of the NCAA Tournament Without Haas, Purdue doesn’t have a true post presence on defense, and teams have been exploit that weakness by shooting a high percentage from inside the three-point line Over the last four games, opponents re shooting 54 percent on two-point attempts, and Purdue has had trouble defending without fouling.

On offense, Purdue has been one of the best teams in the country since Haas went down, averaging 87 points per game The Boilermakers have been able to space the floor with their shooters and let sophomore guard Carsen Edwards take over games when necessary. Edwards is averaging 28 points per game over the last four contests, and he’ll need to continue to be assertive for Purdue to keep winning without Haas.

What needs to change

Purdue is currently ranked 4th in the Big Ten with a conference record of
8-5. They have had some impressive wins against ranked opponents such as Iowa, but have also had some tough losses, most recently to Nebraska. The Boilermakers have been great on offense, but their defense has been inconsistent at best. If they want to make a run in the NCAA tournament they will need to figure out how to play better defense.

Purdue’s problems on defense start with their lack of size. Their two biggest players are 6’9″ forward Grady Eifert and 7’2″ center Matt Haarms, who are both very good players. However, they are not big enough to match up with some of the bigger teams in the country. This was evident in their loss to Florida State when they gave up 98 points and allowed the Seminoles to shoot 58.6% from the field.

The Boilermakers also have trouble guarding the Three-Point Line opponents are shooting 37.4% from three-point range against Purdue, which is 317th out of 353 teams in Division I Basketball This was a problem against Nebraska, when the Cornhuskers shot 50% from three-point range and made 15 threes in their upset win over the Boilermakers.

Purdue’s defense is not all bad, however. They are currently 31st in Division I basketball in points allowed per game, and they have been particularly good at forcing turnovers, as they are 9th in the country in turnover percentage. But if they want to be a serious contender for the national title, they will need to figure out how to play better defense against big teams and on the perimeter.

The next game

The next game on the schedule is against the Illinois Fighting Illini who have yet to win a conference game. The Boilermakers have had success against Illinois in recent years winning seven of the last eight games between the two schools. However, this will be a tough test for Purdue, as Illinois is coming off a loss to Michigan State in which they gave up 97 points.

The big picture

Several games into the season, the Purdue Boilermakers men’s Basketball team appears to be a well-oiled machine on offense. The team is averaging nearly 80 Points per game and has shown an ability to score with anyone in the country. However, the Boilermakers are still searching for defensive success as they have given up an average of nearly 70 points per game

While the offense has been solid, it has been the defense that has been the biggest problem for Purdue. The team has given up big leads in several games and has had trouble getting stops when it needs them most. head coach Matt Painter knows that his team will need to figure out its defensive issues if it wants to have any success this season.

“We’re just not there defensively,” Painter said after a recent loss. “We’re not getting stops when we need them and we’re not contesting shots well enough. We’ve got to figure out a way to get better defensively.”

The Boilermakers have some talented players on both ends of the court, but they will need to put it all together if they want to contend for a conference title or make a deep run in the NCAA tournament

The fans’ reaction

Purdue fans aren’t quite sure what to make of their team so far this season. The Boilermakers are off to a 5-2 start, with their only losses coming against No. 2 Louisville and No. 6 Virginia. On the one hand, that’s not too shabby. But on the other hand, both of those losses were blowouts, and Purdue’s defense has been suspect all season long

The Boilermakers are currently averaging 79.4 points per game, which is good for seventh in the country. But they’re also giving up 74.1 points per game, which ranks them just 202nd in the nation. So while the offense has been great, the defense has been a real problem.

Head Coach Matt Painter knows that his team needs to get better on defense if they want to make a run at the NCAA tournament this season. “We’re just not there yet defensively,” Painter said after Purdue’s loss to Louisville. “We have to find a way to get stops when we need them.”

The good news for Purdue is that they do have time to turn things around on defense. And with an offense that looks as good as theirs does right now, they could still be a dangerous team come March if they can figure out how to get stops when they need them most.

The players’ thoughts

The Purdue basketball team is still searching for defensive success as their offense continues to shine. The Boilermakers are currently ranked No. 3 in the country in offensive efficiency, but their defense is struggling, ranked No. 65.

Many of the players are aware of the defensive struggles and are working hard to improve. Senior guard Carsen Edwards said, “It takes a lot of focus and a lot of effort on that end…It starts with us being more locked in and more engaged.”

Head coach Matt Painter is confident that his team will be able to turn things around on the defensive end. “Our guys are trying,” Painter said. “We just have to keep getting better.”

The coaches’ strategy

Purdue men’s Basketball team is still searching for defensive success as their offense continues to shine. The team’s ability to score points has been impressive, but they have yet to find an answer for their defensive struggles.

The coaches’ strategy of focusing on the offense has been working well so far, but they know that they will need to find a way to improve the defense if they want to compete for a championship. The team is currently working on a new defensive system that they hope will be more successful than their previous attempts.

The players are confident in their abilities and are eager to prove themselves on the court. They know that they have the potential to be great, but they need to put in the work to reach their full potential.

The outlook

Purdue Basketball is still searching for defensive success as their offense continues to shine. The Boilermakers are currently averaging 80.4 points per game, good for sixth in the country. However, they are giving up an average of 74.8 points per game, which ranks them 211th in the nation.

One issue that has been plaguing Purdue all season long has been their ability to close out games. They have blown double-digit leads in five of their eight losses, including a 20-point lead against Ohio State and a 14-point lead against Illinois.

Purdue does have some bright spots on their roster. Sophomore Carsen Edwards is averaging a team-high 19 points per game, and freshman Matt Haarms has been a force in the paint, averaging 9.5 points and 4.5 rebounds per game

The Boilermakers will need to find some answers on the defensive end of the floor if they want to turn things around and make a run at the NCAA Tournament