Which Teams Can Destabilize Zach Edey and Purdue’s Dominance and How?

The Purdue Boilermakers are having the time of their life. They have a sturdy 8-1 tally and have only been thrashed once in the current NCAA season. The Northwestern Wildcats had edged past them in a close contest, upending them by a 92-88 tally. But other than that the Purdue are clearly advancing to the knockouts of the tournament.

Relying on their center Zach Edey, the Purdue won the Muai Invitational and are next to impossible to beat going by their current form. But only a detailed analysis of other teams can determine if a victorious glory awaits the Purdue. Or can they be challenged?

Can Purdue be defeated?

The 7th ranked Wisconsin Badgers look to be one of the few teams in the Big 10 who can challenge the Purdue Boilermakers. They decimated the Virginia Cavaliers by a blowout margin of 65-41 before upending the Marquette Golden Eagles by a decent margin of 75-64.

They are going 6-2 in the current season with their only two losses coming against the Tennessee Volunteers and the Providence Friars early on in the tournament. Taking their learning seriously from both those matches, the Badgers have improved considerably and can challenge the Boilermakers.

Another team to watch out for will the Michigan State Spartans. Going by their numbers this season they might look like an above-average team but can pave the way for glory going ahead in the season. They have a 4-3 tally as of now. Their lackluster display came against the James Madison Dukes, the Duke Blue Devils, and the Arizona Wildcats. They are yet to play a conference game which will be their litmus test.

The Illinois Fighting Illini can also put up a tough fight against the Purdue considering they have only been beaten once and that too by the Marquette Golden Eagles. They are going strong and will be an interesting match-up against the Purdue when they lock horns.

Whereas in the Big East, the University of Connecticut Huskies and the Marquette have impressed all with their season-defining performances. The Huskies are going a strong 7-1 whereas the Golden Eagles are not far behind with a 6-2 record.

Another team that can put up defiance against the Purdue are the Villanova Wildcats. Though the Villanova haven’t been up to the mark in their game against the Big 5, outside of that they have really amped up their gameplay. 

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A much-anticipated game will be when the Boilermakers square off against the Creighton Bluejays men’s basketball team. Going by their playing tactics it would be an intense shooting game that involves two centers who are above 7 feet – the very talented Zach Edey and the dominating Ryan Kalkbrenner. Edey is more offensive whereas Kalkbrenner’s defense is tough to beat even for the best. 

How can Purdue be challenged?

Coming back to the Big 10, the Michigan State can be the second best team even though they might not have the record to prove it. The irony with the season is that the schedules aren’t the same for everyone.

If the Michigan State are to play the Purdue only once, they might end up losing that game. They might play the Indiana Hoosiers who look better than last time with guard Xavier Johnson coming to his own.

There will be determining factors such as the team that plays the Minnesota Golden Gophers twice and also if the team battles it out against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at home or on the road.

If the Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo figures out his plans then the Spartans will be difficult to defeat. For the record, the Spartans have only one marquee non-conference game, and that too against the Baylor.

If the Spartans win then it will be Izzo’s coaching techniques and understanding of the freshman who can be taken off the bench. Their guard Jeremy Fears Jr. and AJ Hoggard can set the tone for future matches.

Both of them won’t emerge as the top scorers but can help the other guards and the entire team with their layups. Izzo will have to make full use of their versatility. 

Another thing the Michigan State can do is pair freshmen with the veterans and introduce them in the starting five so that when the going gets tough as the game progresses, Izzo can utilize his veterans off the bench to settle things for them.

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Whatever happens for the Michigan State, it is surely going to make the right kind of noise in the Big 10 and if they can beat the Purdue then it will be an all and all victory for their fans.