The Miami Hurricanes clash with the Purdue Boilermakers. Key injuries and rebounding battles will decide who advances in this high-stakes NCAA Tournament showdown.
After an 80–66 victory over the Missouri Tigers on Friday night, the seventh-seed Miami Hurricanes men’s basketball squad will face the second-seed Purdue Boilermakers in the NCAA Tournament Round of 32. A bigger “March Madness” challenge presents itself. Here’s important information to know before Sunday’s afternoon game.
- How to watch
TV Channel: CBS
Time: 12:10 p.m. Eastern Time
- Injury report
The Boilermakers have no players listed.
The Hurricanes have ruled sophomore forward Marcus Allen (non-Hodgkin lymphoma; out for season) and freshman forward Treyvon Maddox (undisclosed) as out for Sunday’s game. Despite playing 30-plus minutes, seniors Tre Donaldson and Maik Reneau, plus freshman Shelton Henderson, aren’t listed.
- Game notes
The main factor that led to the Hurricanes’ victory in the first round was crashing the glass. They won the rebound battle 46-30, including 16 offensive rebounds, which resulted in 19 second-chance points. The Boilermakers average the sixth-most rebounds in the Big 10 conference with 35.6 a game. In the first-round against the Queens University Royals, they won the rebounding battle 41-19.
Crashing the glass will be important for either side, which could be the deciding factor of who comes out on top.
Against the Tigers, the Hurricanes shot 58.6 percent from the free-throw line, making 17-of-29 attempts. Failing to capitalize on open opportunities resulted in raising the level of difficulty, especially in an environment where the smallest errors can come with a high cost. The team is capable of getting to the line, but leaving points on the board will be a critical self-error.
The Boilmakers’ offense will arguably be the biggest test for coach Jai Lucas and the staff of the season. They average the third-most points (82.3), second-highest field goal percentage (50.3), highest three-point percentage (38.5), and most assists (20) a game among Big 10 teams.
The program won its third tournament championship in its history this season. They’re led by senior guard and two-time All-American Braden Smith, who’s averaging 14.3 points on 45.4 percent shooting, 37.7 percent from three-point range, 3.6 rebounds, and nine assists on the season.
Alongside the 22-year-old is senior guard Fletcher Loyer, who’s shooting 42.3 percent from behind the arc, second-best in the Big 10.
The Hurricanes’ defense will have a handful against the Boilermakers on Sunday. It will be important for Reneau and senior center Ernest Udeh Jr. to prevent as many paint touches as possible.
This game will likely come down to which team executes better, especially down the stretch in clutch moments.
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