Preview: Iowa MBB against No. 7 Purdue (2025)

The game on Tuesday evening against #7 Purdue (a total of 17: 5, 9: 2 in the big ten) looked discouraging a week ago when the boiler makers were fresh from a 27-point home win against Michigan, while iowa fresh from 17 points Was loss in the state of Ohio. Since then, Purdue has added a victory over Indiana last Friday evening, while Iowa found that Owen Freeman, the leading goal scorer and rebounder of the Hawkeyes, will miss the rest of the season with an injury this season.

It is enough to say that today’s game calls “discouraging” to be a picturesque understatement. The Hawkeyes will face one of the best teams they played all year round – and without their best players. Not good.

G Brock Harding (6’0 “, 165 lbs; 9.0 ppg, 2.0 RPG, 6.0 APG; 44.7 FG%; 38.5 3fg%)

G Josh Dix (6’6 “, 210 lbs; 13.3 ppg; 3.1 RPG; 3.0 APG; 52.4 FG%; 45.2 3fg%)

G Drew Thelwell (6’3 “, 195; 10.7 ppg, 2.4 RPG, 3.1 APG, 55.5 fg%, 43.1 3fg%)

F Payton Sandfort (6’8 “, 215 lbs; 16.0 ppg; 5.7 RPG; 2.9 Acts; 40.3 fg%; 34.2 3fg%)

C Ladji Dembele (6’8 “, 255 lbs; 3.5 ppg, 3.0 RPG, 0.5 APG; 44.1 FG%, 39.1 3fg%)

Iowa head coach Fran McCaffery On yesterday it was not to be sure that you were not yet sure who would replace Owen Freeman in the starting line -up, but Ladji Demeble is Iowa’s great most experienced options. So he seems to be the most likely option to fill Freemans slot into the start.

G Braden Smith (6’0 “, 170 lbs; 15.8 ppg, 4.6 RPG, 8.8 APG; 44.0 FG%, 38.2 3fg%)

G Fletcher Loyer (6’5 “, 180 lbs; 14.0 ppg, 2.3 RPG, 1.5 APG; 47.1 FG%, 46.3 3fg%)

G CJ COX (6’3 “, 200 lbs; 6.1 ppg, 2.6 RPG, 0.7 Acts; 50.0 fg%, 41.7 3fg%)

F Trey Kaufman-Drenn (6’9 “, 230 lbs; 18.4 ppg, 6.2 RPG, 2.4 Acts; 60.4 fg%, 42.9 3fg%)

C Caleb Furst (6’10 “, 235 lbs; 4.7 ppg, 3.9 RPG, 0.4 APG, 57.1 FG%, 0 3FG%)

https://n.rivals.com/content/athletes/zach-edey-260183outside of a swallowing in December, when they lost three out of four games, Purdue impressed this year and completed the transition of life without national player of the year Zach Edey very good. The boiler makers have been particularly good since the turn of the year and went 8-1 in 2025, with the only loss coming against the state of Ohio two weeks ago.

The boiler makers were remarkably balanced on both sides of the ball and documented nationally in the offensive efficiency (and in the big ten in the statistics only in conference) and in defensive efficiency (second place in the big ten in only conference statistics) and 30th on 30th place). .

Purdue has no remarkable weaknesses in relation outside of the arch (37.7%, 31.). This is obviously a very threatening start for an IOWA defense, which is dead in the big th defense (59.0%) in the Big Ten in the big ten.

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While the boiler makers made excellent shots, their greatest weakness in the defense prevented the opponents from contacting shots – the boiler makers are only 145 in an effective FG% defense (50.1%), although they are in league 7. Big Ten games were in the league in the league.

Purdue was excellent in forcing sales in defense to force the big ten in only conference statistics with sales to 23.4% of the owners of the opponents to stat). The boiler makers also avoid bringing teams to the free -wire line (4th in the big ten in defensive freewates).

With regard to the staff, Purdue has adapted to life well without Edey. The replacement of its 25.2 ppg and 12.2 RPG was not easy, but a more balanced evaluation attack contributed to comparing the difference. The junior striker Trey Kaufman-Renn really used up and heads the team in the rating (18.4 ppg) and the rebound (6.2 RPG). It causes most of his damage in color and in the arch; He makes 60.8% of his 2-point attempts this season.

“Yes, (you) are different without (edey),” said McCaffery during his media availability at the beginning of this week. “Every team will be different without him. Kaufman racing really brought his game to a completely different level, we saw that.”

McCaffery also praised Purdues Veteran Wächter Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer.

“You still have the back dish,” he said. “These two have been the pre -season player of the year since the minute in which they arrived there. (Smith was). These two boys are something special.”

Smith takes second place in the team at 15.8 ppg and has emerged as an interior, distributor and playmaker. He leads the nation in Assist rate and its 8.8 templates per game in the big ten nationwide and best. Loyer is the third boiler maker, who achieved double figures worth 14.0 ppg, and he was also her most deadliest three -point shooter, who emptied 44 out of 95 (46.3%) this year.

“Matt (painter) always has depth,” added McCaffery. “He has a good mix of veterans and young boys, everyone understands and accepts their roles and plays them to the best of strength. They have pieces, so they do as well as they.”

Purdue has eight players who played 22 games this season and at least 16 minutes per game on McCaffrey’s point. Outside the big three from Kaufman-Drenn, Smith and Loyer they all have an average of between 4-7 ppg and 2-4 RPB. The numbers are not individually impressive, but together they add up – and they make it difficult for the defense to also decide a specific player.

CJ COX and BIG Man Caleb Furst complete the projected starting points for Purdue, with Cox corresponding to an average of 6.1 ppg and 2.6 RPG to 50% of the shooting from the floor from the floor. He was also the second best three -point shooter of the boiler makers and converted a 41.7% clip this season. Form has shot an average of 4.7 ppg and 3.0 RPG from 57.1%.