Purdue Basketball Game 5 Preview: Gonzaga at the Phil Knight Legacy

PORTLAND — Following Thursday night’s impressive win over West Virginia, Purdue advances to meet one of college basketball’s pre-eminent modern powers, Gonzaga at the Phil Knight Legacy in Portland. Here’s our full GoldandBlack.com breakdown of what will be the highest-profile game on the Boilermakers’ non-conference schedule.

Where: Veterans Memorial Coliseum (Portland)

Event: Phil Knight Legacy (Bracket)

When: 11:30 p.m. ET

TV: ESPN

Radio: Purdue Sports Network (WAZY locally)

In-game updates: GoldandBlack.com | Twitter @brianneubert

ABOUT THE TEAMS

Purdue: Roster | Schedule | Stats

Gonzaga: Roster | Schedule | Stats

NUMBERS AND SUCH

Team	AP	Coaches	NET	KenPom	KenPom Win%
Purdue	24	23	—	22	33%
Gonzaga	6	5	—	3	67%

ON PURDUE (4-0)

• Purdue has never met Gonzaga under Matt Painter. The two teams last met in the 2000 NCAA Tournament, a Boilermaker win in Albuquerque right at the front end of the Zags’ emergence into a nationally prominent program under then-coach Dan Monson. Gene Keady’s team beat Gonzaga in Mackey Arena two years earlier also.

PROJECTED PURDUE LINEUPS

Starters

Center — 15 Zach Edey (7-4, 290, Junior)

Forward — 0 Mason Gillis (6-6, 230, Junior)

Guard — 3 Braden Smith (6-0, 180, Freshman)

Guard — 2 Fletcher Loyer (6-4, 185, Freshman)

Guard/Forward — 25 Ethan Morton (6-7, 215, Junior)

Rotational Reserves

Guard — 5 Brandon Newman (6-5, 200, Junior)

Forward/Center — 1 Caleb Furst (6-10, 230, Sophomore)

Forward/Center — 4 Trey Kaufman-Renn (6-9, 225, Redshirt Freshman)

Guard/Forward — 11 Brian Waddell (6-8, 195, Redshirt Freshman)

Guard — 14 David Jenkins Jr. (6-1, 200, Senior)

Guard/Forward — 23 Camden Heide (6-7, 205, Freshman)

Heide is under consideration for a redshirt, taking a few games to observe and make a decision, per Matt Painter. He won’t be playing in the meantime.

Note: Freshman center Will Berg will redshirt this season.

ON GONZAGA (4-1)

• Gonzaga played a monstrous schedule prior to Portland, with back-to-back-to-back games against Michigan State, Texas and Kentucky, as well as a preseason exhibition against Tennessee.

• Zags standouts Drew Timme and Malachi Smith were both former Purdue recruiting targets.

• For the second game in a row, Purdue faces a former Big Ten guard. Rasir Bolton started his career at Penn State, before moving on to Iowa State, then finishing up in Spokane.

• Gonzaga’s shooting better than 40 percent as a team from three around Drew Timme.

• It’s been just five games, but Gonzaga’s No. 1 nationally in offensive efficiency per KenPom, and that’s after playing three big-time non-conference games. Chances are, they’ll stick around that level all season.

GONZAGAA LINEUPS

Center — 2 Drew Timme (6-10, 235, Senior)

One of the best players in college basketball, Timme’s one of many stars Purdue will see this season that have been drawn back to the college game by NIL.

Guard — 45 Rasir Bolton (6-3, 185, Senior)

Bolton’s shooting 48 percent from long range.

Forward — 22 Anton Watson (6-8, 225, Senior)

Guard— 0 Julian Strawther (6-7, 205, Junior)

Gonzaga’s second-leading scorer is 10-of-21 this season from three.

Guard — 11 Nolan Hickman (6-2, 180, Sophomore)

Bench

Guard — 13 Malachi Smith (6-4, 205, Junior)

The Chattanooga transfer scored 23 points against Portland State to open this event.

Guard — 5 Hunter Sallis (6-5, 180, Sophomore)

THREE KEYS FOR PURDUE

Physicality	Post D	rebounding
Not sure this will be a pronounced advantage for Purdue like it would against a different opponent, but the Boilermakers need to make their presence felt against a team that struggled against Michigan State.	Timme is a really good and really clever post scorer. Edey’s size will help Purdue, but the Boilermakers’ double teams are going to have to be effective too.	Kind of a non-negotiable here. Purdue’s got to make Gonzaga earn everything it gets. Second chances to have to be kept to a minimum after Purdue can really help itself stealing garbage points off the glass.

LIGHTNING-ROUND TAKES

• Just playing this game is huge for Purdue’s résumé from a strength-of-schedule perspective, and clinching a third high-major game on Sunday is a big deal, too.

PREDICTION: GONZAGA 80, PURDUE 72

Purdue’s doing so much right right now. This one’s a tall order, though, but one that will make the Boilermakers better, and that’s what matters most right now.