The upcoming ranked matchup between the No. 21 Michigan men’s basketball team and No. 11 Purdue has a little extra fire to it — both teams are coming off of demoralizing losses. The Wolverines fell to a Minnesota team that was then winless in conference play, and the Boilermakers lost at home to Ohio State, breaking their near 30-game home win streak.
All to say, Friday’s contest between the two ranked foes will have a little extra emotion and excitement on top of an already competitive game between two of the Big Ten’s best.
“We know we’re going to be going into a really hostile environment against a well coached team,” Michigan assistant coach Mike Boynton Jr. said Thursday. “Coming off a loss, (they’re going) to be highly motivated, trying to stay at the top part of the league. … You can always spin it either way. Sometimes the team maybe gets too comfortable with a win, but certainly teams don’t want to lose consecutive games at home.”
As Boynton pointed out, Michigan has a tall task at hand. Taking down a ranked opponent for what would be their second consecutive loss at home is no easy feat. Not to mention the Boilermakers have unanimous Big Ten Preseason Player of the Year guard Branden Smith guiding the way, along with a strong supporting cast of players.
“(Smith) makes these unbelievable pocket passes in these really tight windows and obviously he can score well, he’s really good at shot picks,” Boynton said. “He plays under control. Very few flaws to his actual game. … And so for a guy like that, you got to keep him off balance.”
Smith plays the third most minutes of any player in the Big Ten, averaging 35.8 per contest, proving just how heavily Purdue relies on his contributions. He frequently causes problems for opposing defenses by picking out open players for easy shots inside due to defenders diverting attention to his shooting from all over the court.
Although Smith averages 15 points and 4.7 rebounds, it’s his composure and ability to uplift his teammates that makes him elite, which is distinguished by his 8.8 assists that leads the Big Ten.
“Braden Smith, he’s a surgeon,” Michigan coach Dusty May said Monday. “He’s got an ability to make his teammates better, to make the right play.”
The second Smith gets in rhythm, the Wolverines will have a hard time slowing down both him and the Boilermakers as a whole. On top of that, Smith’s counterparts have also been consistent, as both guard Fletcher Loyer and forward Trey Kaufman-Renn average double-digit scoring.
“Trey Kaufman-Renn, what a story,” May said. “They have these guys go there with all these accolades … and they just become Purdue basketball. He waited his turn behind Zach Edey, and now he looks like one of the best bigs in the country and one of the most efficient bigs in the country.”
Coming off of a loss, Purdue will be seeking more than just a bounce back win, the Boilermakers look to reclaim and defend their home court. On the other end, Michigan needs to build on its flashes of improvement shown in recent matchups to remain competitive. Through knocking players like Smith, Loyer and Kaufman-Renn out of rhythm to force bad passes, the Wolverines can generate extra possessions and go to work on offense. In a ranked matchup with high stakes between Michigan and Purdue, the unexpectedness of the Big Ten is sure to be on full display.
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