Purdue Basketball Game 9 Preview: Hofstra

Purdue looks to keep on rolling Wednesday night in Mackey Arena, as the fourth-ranked Boilermakers host the Pride of Hofstra. Here’s our GoldandBlack.com preview for the big Elf Night matchup.

Where: Mackey Arena (West Lafayette)

When: Wednesday, Dec. 7, 7 p.m. ET

TV: BTN+

Radio: Purdue Sports Network (WAZY locally)

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

ABOUT THE TEAMS

Purdue: Roster | Schedule | Stats

Hofstra: Roster | Schedule | Stats

NUMBERS AND SUCH

Team	AP	Coaches	NET	KenPom	KenPom Win%
Purdue	4	4	—	6	95%
Hofstra	—	—	—	127	5%

ON PURDUE (8-0, 1-0 B1G)

• After opening Big Ten play with a win over Minnesota Sunday, Purdue has this non-conference game squeezed in before the Boilermakers head to Nebraska this weekend.

• Amazingly, Purdue finds itself again ranked No. 1 nationally in offensive efficiency, per KenPom, deep enough into the season now and with big enough games having been played for such metrics to be meaningful.

• Opponents are shooting only 25.6 percent from three-point range. That’s top-10 nationally from a defensive perspective. Purdue’s now 29th nationally in defensive efficiency, per KenPom. (It finished last season 93rd.)

• Forward Mason Gillis, dealing with a back issue that idled him for the Minnesota game, didn’t practice Tuesday and isn’t expected to play against Hofstra. Caleb Furst will start again in his place.

PROJECTED PURDUE LINEUPS

Starters

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

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

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 — 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)

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

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 HOFSTRA (6-3)

• Hofstra has yet to play a high-major opponent this season, but did face Saint Mary’s, a 76-48 road loss.

• The Pride is coached by former star and long-time NBA guard Speedy Claxton.

• Hofstra is the school where former Purdue big man Jacquil Taylor finished his college career in 2019.

HOFSTRA LINEUPS

Guard — 1 Aaron Estrada (6-3, 195, R-Senior)

The Oregon transfer — he started his career at St. Peter’s — is a terror, averaging 21.7 points per game and shooting 43 percent from three-point range. He’ll be one of the better scoring guards Purdue has seen this season. He’s coming off back-to-back 29- and 31-point games.

Guard — 23 Tyler Thomas (6-3, 200, R-Senior)

Guard — 11 Jaquan Carlos (6-0, 170, Sophomore)

Forward— 55 Darlinstone Dubar (6-8, 211, Sophomore)

Forward — 32 Nelson Boachie-Yiadom (6-8, 216, GRAD)

Bench

Guard — 25 German Plotnikov (6-6, 197, Sophomore)

Forward —0 Warren Williams (6-9, 247, GRAD)

Guard —2 Bryce Washington (6-4, 187, GRAD)

THREE KEYS FOR PURDUE

on-ball defense	start well	crush the glass
Purdue’s going to want to really disrupt Estrada, which will fall largely on Braden Smith and David Jenkins. Purdue’s not seen many really problematic scoring guards yet, so this will test both those primary defenders’ pressure on the ball and their help.	Purdue’s had a couple games now where making a few more of these open looks from three would really punish the opponent. Also, getting Zach Edey rolling right from the jump would achieve the same end.	This is going to be a profound advantage for Purdue, as it has been often this season. This is where the Boilermakers can really impose their will, so to speak.

LIGHTNING-ROUND TAKES

• Aaron Estrada will be one of the five or six toughest matchups Purdue’s sees defensively — regardless of position — during non-conference play. He is legitimately good and a guy who could not just be playing, but standing out, at a lot of bigger schools than Hofstra.

PREDICTION: PURDUE 85, HOFSTRA 65

Here’s guessing Hofstra scores some points, but Purdue’s going to be way too much on the interior and on the glass. Same comment we could make about most every buy game the Boilermakers play this season.