Purdue escapes with an 87-77 win over Oakland, but alarming defensive lapses, rebounding struggles, and anemic bench production expose critical flaws in the nation's top-ranked team. With Alabama looming Thursday, the Boilermakers must immediately address their frontcourt dominance, three-point shooting consistency, and depth issues or risk an upset in Tuscaloosa.
Purdue Boilermakers escape with an 87-77 victory over Oakland, but the performance raises serious questions about the nation's top-ranked team. Can the Boilermakers fix their glaring weaknesses before facing Alabama on the road?
This breakdown examines Purdue's struggles against Oakland's zone defense, critical rebounding deficiencies that allowed the Grizzlies to dominate the glass, and concerning bench production that totaled just 13 points. Braden Smith's 20-point, 9-assist performance kept Purdue afloat, while Jack Benter continues impressing as Trey Kaufman-Renn's replacement. The analysis covers why Gicarri Harris went scoreless despite preseason promise, how the centers failed to control the boards, and what Matt Painter's squad must improve immediately.
The Alabama preview identifies three non-negotiables for Thursday's showdown in Tuscaloosa: bench players must step up, Purdue's front court must dominate rebounding, and the Boilermakers cannot afford another sub-35% three-point shooting night.
Discover why this wake-up call might be exactly what Purdue needs.
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