It’s not just the headliner of the 2016 Gavitt Tip-Off Games, it’s also about as good as November college basketball can really get this side of the Champions Classic. The fourth ranked, defending champion Villanova basketball team heads to West Lafayette Monday night to take on the fifteenth ranked Purdue Boilermakers.
For an early November contest, it doesn’t get more exciting and interesting than this. Let’s preview!
TV: Monday, Nov. 14, 2016 / 7 p.m. ET / Big Ten Network (Brian Anderson, Jon Crispin)
LOCATION: Mackey Arena (14,804) / West Lafayette, Indiana
Villanova basketball preview:
The strength of Villanova basketball has typically been at the guard position.
That shifts somewhat this season as Jay Wright boasts a deep group of wings/forwards led by their top two scorers from a year ago, Josh Hart and Kris Jenkins. Both seniors tested the NBA Draft waters this off-season but wisely chose to return for their final go-around at the college level. Their experience and ability to contribute in multiple ways on the floor is a luxury Wright has.
Add in Fordham transfer Eric Paschall and the improving Mikal Bridges, and the Wildcats have tremendous depth at forward.
Bridges is a jack-of-all-trades type player who is capable of playing numerous positions on both ends of the floor. He could be poised for a breakout season. Paschall was the Atlantic 10 Rookie of the Year during the 2014-15 season, averaging 15.5 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. At 6-7, 250 pounds, Paschall has a wide frame so he can throw his body around inside but can also step outside and knock down shots.
Villanova Basketball Player to Watch:
Jalen Brunson played a bit of an apprentice role last season to veteran floor leader, Ryan Arcidiacano. With Arcidiacono graduating, Brunson now holds the keys to the ship at Nova. The former McDonald’s All-American is more than capable of handling that responsibility. He showed great poise a freshman and seems to understand the balance of knowing when to be a distributor and when to score.
Expect him to take a step forward with his game and become one of the better point guards not only in the conference, but in the country.
Go here for a link to the Villanova basketball season preview and projected depth chart. The Wildcats crushed Lafayette 88-48 in their season opener Friday night.
Purdue Boilermakers Preview:
The Boilermakers are coming off their 11th win in 12 season openers under Matt Painter with a 109-65 win over McNeese State Friday night. During his regime at Purdue, Painter is 38-1 at home during the month of November. Caleb Swanigan, one of 50 players nationally named to the Naismith Award Watch List, was the man Friday night with 23 points, 20 rebounds and 6 assists.
Fellow big man Isaac Haas added 22 points. Villanova is just the second, non-conference defending national champion to visit Mackey Arena, with the first being Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abudl-Jabbar) and his UCLA Bruins in the arena’s very first game on Dec. 2, 1967.
Swanigan, a former McDonald’s All-American, was named to the Malone Award watch list (nation’s top power forward) and was voted a preseason first-team All-Big Ten selection. He averaged 10.2 points per game and led the Big Ten in rebounding in all games played (8.3 RPG) a year ago, en route to earning a spot on the Big Ten’s All-Freshman Team.
Most experts and pundits are skeptical about the guard play in 2016-17, but high on the forwards. The front line should be among the best units, not just in the league but in the entire nation. ESPN Analyst Jay Bilas did a media conference call this week, and he assessed the Purdue basketball team to be a squad that could maybe jump up and surprise as B1G championship contender.
Bilas thinks Michigan State, Purdue and Indiana are the teams to beat this year.
“I don’t think their guard play was great last year, so I think it’s going to have to be much better than last year.”
Bilas referred to Vince Edwards as more of a wing, and a hybrid than a guard. (I would have to agree with assessment). He also said the Boilers need to take better care of the ball and get better scoring out of their guards than they did last season in order to be a Big Ten contender.
Go here for the whole feature story previewing the Purdue backcourt this season.
Prediction: Purdue 71, Nova 70
Villanova is no doubt the favorite, and they have an advantage in the backcourt and on the wings. The Boilers are the superior team up front, and I’m predicting the Cats will shoot poorly/be defended on the perimeter tight enough that they’ll shoot themselves into getting upset on the road in atmosphere that really should be rocking.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous radio and television talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram and Sound Cloud.