Purdue Boilermakers vs. Michigan Wolverines Match Preview – Injury Report, Starting Lineup, and Prediction

This season is riding on a rollercoaster as many top teams have been facing defeats at the hands of several underdogs. However, there is one team that has been qualifying to the test of time – the Purdue Boilermakers. Currently, the team ranks at #2 in the AP Top 25 men’s basketball teams list and also in the Big Ten.

Continuing their run toward victory, the Boilermakers will next be locking horns with the Michigan Wolverines, who currently rank at #11 in the Big Ten. Let’s look at the specifics of both teams.

Purdue Boilermakers

The Boilermakers have a 17-2 record this season, ranking at #2 in the Big Ten Conference. Some of their notable wins include 98-45 against Samford, an 87-57 win against Morehead State, an 83-71 win against Xavier, and an 87-66 win against Indiana, to name a few among many.

Moreover, Purdue has a versatile superpower in the form of Zach Edey, who makes it difficult for opponents to get through, as evidenced by his impressive defense with 44 blocks. This season, Edey has been averaging 23.3 points, 11.5 rebounds, and 1.7 assists per game. Also, he has been shooting with a field goal percentage of 63%.

Needless to say, Zach Edey leads the starting lineup, followed by guard Lance Jones who has been averaging 11.9 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.4 assists, shooting with a field goal percentage of 43.1%. The next Boilermaker in line is forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who has been averaging 6.9 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game. Notably, in his freshman season, he delivered a solid performance by scoring 4.5 points, 1.8 rebounds, and 0.7 assists per game, while appearing in all 35 games.

Moving forward is guard Fletcher Loyer, who has been averaging 11.5 points, 2.3 rebounds, and 1.8 assists per game, shooting with a field goal percentage of 42.2%. Then fifth in the row of the starting lineup is guard Braden Smith, who has been scoring 11.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 7.2 assists per game, shooting with a field goal percentage of 44%.

Fortunately, none of the players have reported any injury this season, and it is hoped that this stays intact for the season is still in play.

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Now, let’s take a look at the howling Wolverines.

Michigan Wolverines

This season, the Wolverines are having a bit of a short end. Currently, they rank at #11 in the Big Ten Conference. However, some of their most notable winnings this season include a 99-74 score against UNC Ashville and a 92-62 win against Youngstown State.

As one of Michigan’s key players, Dug McDaniel has made a significant impact on the Wolverines in his two years at Michigan. Daniels has also been a crucial playmaker, averaging a team-high 5.1 assists per game. His other stats this season include 17.4 points and 3.9 rebounds, shooting with a field goal percentage of 43.4%.

Next up in the starting lineup is forward Oliver Nkamhoua, who has been averaging 17 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game. His shooting has been recorded with a field goal percentage of 53.5%. Notably, in one of the games, Nkamhoua led the Wolverines with a game-high 25 points and 7 rebounds in a game against UNC Ashville.

No. 3  and 4 in the starting lineup are forward Terrance Williams II and guard Nimari Burnett who have been making significant contributions to the team’s success.

Talking about the injuries and missing pieces on the Wolverines’ puzzle include the team’s leading scorer Dug McDaniels who has been serving a suspension, as a result, he will be sitting this one out. Followed by Jaelin Llewellyn, who is still in recovery from a torn ACL, and Tray Jackson, whose status is still unknown.

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With both teams’ stats in the description, it looks very easy to say that Purdue will most likely be taking the winnings in this one.