Purdue Basketball Preview: McNeese at the NCAA Tournament
PROVIDENCE — With another Sweet 16 berth on the line, Purdue meets McNeese State and soon-to-be-outgoing coach Will Wade Saturday in the NCAA Tournament’s Round of 32.
DETAILS: Saturday, March 22, 2025 | 12:10 p.m. ET | TV: CBS (Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn) | Radio: Purdue Radio Network
4 seed PURDUE (23-11): ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS
12 seed McNEESE STATE (28-6): ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS
A FEW THINGS ABOUT PURDUE
• After beating High Point Thursday, Purdue is one win away from its sixth Sweet 16 trip in the past eight seasons, a trip to the Midwest Regional in Indianapolis.
• In the postseason, Camden Heide is averaging 7.7 points and 7.3 rebounds and has made six of his last nine three-point tries. He posted 11 points and 10 rebounds vs. High Point.
• Six different Purdue players recorded putbacks against High Point — including Will Berg’s buzzer-beating basket before half, which was ruled a rebound, but could have been viewed as essentially a pass from Braden Smith — as part of a 19-offensive-rebound onslaught.
• Trey Kaufman-Renn is averaging 25 points per game in three postseason outings, but is shooting just 50 percent on 26 free-throw attempts.
ABOUT THIS GAME
• McNeese State beat fifth-seeded Clemson 69-67 in the program’s first-ever NCAA Tournament game. The Cowboys dominated defensively in the first half, holding Clemson to only 13 points and building a lead that peaked at 24, but had to hold on in the end as the Tigers rallied but ran out of time, cutting the McNeese lead to two as time expired.
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The Cowboys won despite going 4-of-19 from three and 11-of-22 from the foul line because it held Clemson to 5-of-24 first-half shooting.
• In a bit of an uncommon NCAA Tournament story, Will Wade has reportedly — and really admittedly — already accepted the N.C. State job and spoken of his players being in position to enhance their transfer portal stock in this event.
• McNeese has won 12 straight, having run roughshod over the Southland Conference.
• The Cowboys are top-20 nationally in defensive turnover percentage, 21.5 percent. They average nine steals per game.
• Opponents have been very effective shooting threes against McNeese, shooting about 47 percent, probably a reflection of the quality of looks teams can get after defeating pressure. The Clemson game was McNeese’s first real zone defense of the season and it obviously worked. But it’s on tape now.
THREE KEYS FOR PURDUE
| SUSTAIN IT | OFFENSIVE POISE AND ADAPTABILITY | BE MORE PHYSICAL |
| Purdue’s defensive energy and rebounding tenacity were impeccable in Game 1. Postseason urgency seems to have taken hold. Can the Boilermakers maintain it? Purdue has to be quick to the ball in all areas. | McNeese is going to pressure, fervently switch and mix in different zones. Purdue has to be ready for anything and count on Smith’s diagnostic savvy to come up with answers on the fly, without turning the ball over. | The rebounding piece is a big deal, as is Kaufman-Renn’s ability to power through defenders at the basket, but Purdue’s guards will have to handle some discomfort also. |
GOLDANDBLACK.COM PREDICTION: PURDUE 70, McNEESE 62
It won’t come easy, but Purdue ought to be able to score enough, and the McNeese State team that knocked off Clemson did not look terribly formidable offensively. Purdue’s got to keep them off the offensive glass, but the Boilermakers have done a great job in that area lately.
