Purdue men’s basketball is in the Sweet 16 and they will face the Texas Longhorns. Of course, if you are reading this, you already know that. So I wanted to get the staff’s predictions for Thursday’s game.

If you’ve paid any attention to this site you know I was only one point off the final score from the Miami game. So basically what I’m saying is to put all your money and give it to your bookie and bet on what I say will be the final score. (Don’t actually do that!) But in all honesty, I’m beginning to fall back in love with this team. Seeing Fletcher Loyer give the Miami down hand symbol after the game showed me that this team has an edge. You need to have an edge to get into the Final Four. Purdue had it with Zach Edey and Lance Jones when they made it two years ago. I didn’t think Fletcher Loyer would be the guy to have it for this season but here we are. I think the Texas three point defense is suspect and the Purdue offense is too good. I’m taking Purdue here. Sorry Cam.

Boilers Roll to the Elite 8 and keep their eyes on Indy Final 4.

The center matchup is intriguing, Cluff will go blow for blow. Swain gets bullied by Renn, in a + matchup for Purdue.

Loyer stays hot to push the offense forward.

It would be a bit of a upset, but I think the momentum is there for James Talirico to steal the seat.

Oh, you mean the basketball game.

Texas is a weird team this year. They are incredibly talented, but inconsistent. During the season (especially the last six games or so) they really struggled defensively, much like Purdue. They got tot he tourney though and suddenly they are playing great basketball. Maybe NC State, BYU, and Gonzaga all suddenly just had bad offensive games, but it is a concern that thy are playing much better on that side of the ball.

Purdue is a better offensive team than all of them, and I think that will be the difference. According to KenPom Texas is better offensively than Miami, but much worse defensively. That’s going to be the difference. If Purdue’s offense keeps playing as it has been in the postseason we should be looking for a Saturday night Final Four play-in.

Purdue will square off against the lowest rated defensive team remaining in the tourney as Texas ranks 81st on Kenpom. That would rank 14th in the B1G this past season, just ahead of Oregon and just behind Northwestern. Purdue is going to be able to score points on this Texas team that has given up some big numbers at times this year. To give you an insight about these struggles, Texas gave up n average of 85.5 points per game in their FIBA seven games ahead of the NCAA Tourney.

Where Purdue will be pushed is where Texas may hold their lone advantage: 6’7 Junior forward Dailyn Swain. Averaging 17.4pts, 7.5reb, 3.5ast, 1.7stls, he can be a guy like Nick Martinelli that’ll be able to put up a big number. The key is making sure another guy doesn’t have a major career day. If the Boilers can do that and prevent their best outside shooter, Cam Heide, from hitting 4 or more threes then Purdue should win this one.

Not sure Texas will have an answer for TKR inside if it’s going to be Heide having to guard him primarily nor will they have an answer for the fury that Smith will come out with following one of his poorest performances of his career.

This will be a game where Purdue should be able to get to its bread and butter against a team with the weakest rated defense remaining in the field according to KenPom. For the Boilermakers, the biggest challenge will be rebounding on defense so as not to allow second chances to Texas, who is no slouch as the 15th rated offense on KenPom. I think a big factor in this game will be Oscar Cluff, who has been playing like a man possessed in the month of March. Sure, Purdue will have to rely on Braden Smith to distribute and the rest of the lot to score, but Cluff is going to be instrumental in the rebounding game as well as guarding the Texas big man, Matas Vokietaitis. If the inside threat is struggling for Texas, it boils down to their shooters which have been good, not great, and that gives the advantage to Purdue. I think the Boilermakers get it down out west and move on to the Elite 8.