The Purdue Boilermakers begin their quest for the Men’s NCAA Basketball Championship on Thursday when they take on High Point at 12:40 pm EST. Matt Painter’s team will be playing as a No. 4 seed following a 22-11 season and a 13-7 mark in the Big Ten. They’ll face a 13th-seeded Panthers squad making their NCAA tournament debut after the most successful season in school history.
High Point, coached by Alan Huss, has a record of 29-5. It went 14-2 in the Big South and won the season and conference tournament to claim the automatic bid.
Purdue is hopeful for a deep tournament run after stumbling down the stretch this season. On February 7th, the Big Ten powerhouses were 19-5 and ranked seventh in the nation, with wins over top-25 teams Alabama, Oregon, and Michigan. Since then, the Boilermakers have fallen on tough times, going just 3-6 over their last nine contests. Four of the six losses came against ranked opponents, including Michigan twice.
Considering their recent form, Purdue will be mindful of avoiding a first-round upset, the way their season ended in two of the last four tournaments. In 2021, the Boilermakers fell to the No. 13 seed, the North Texas Mean Green after finishing the COVID-shortened season 18-10, fourth in the Big Ten. Two years later, they were toppled by Farleigh Dickinson in the first round, becoming the second No. 1-ranked team to lose to a No.16 seed. The ‘Makers made it to the elite eight in 2022 and the championship game last season.
Despite making their first NCAA Tournament appearance, the Panthers are a viable upset pick. Led by senior guard Kezza Giffa (14.8), High Point was a top-20 nationally scoring offense, averaging 82.2 points per game. Backcourt mates D’Maurian Williams (39.8%), Bobby Pettiford (42.1), and Chase Johnston (43.5) all shot near or above 40% from three-point range.
Junior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn is the catalyst for Purdue, leading the team in scoring (20.2), and rebounding (6.2), and was second in three-point percentage, at 42.9%. Braden Smith averages 16.1 points and a team-high 8.7 assists and 2.2 steals per game, and sharpshooter Fletcher Loyer (13.8, 46.4 3-PT FG%) spearhead an attack that ranks 12th in the nation in three-point percentage at 38.5%.
How to watch Purdue vs. High Point
- Date: Thursday, March 20
- Time: 12:40 pm
- Venue: Amica Mutual Pvaillion (Provicence, RI)
- How to Watch: truTV
- Purdue record: 22-11 (13-7 Big Ten)
- High Point record: 29-5 (14-2 Big South)