INDIANAPOLIS — The next step in Purdue men’s basketball’s championship quest involves trying to keep another championship streak alive.
The Boilermakers have won 10 straight games over the span of four Thanksgiving-adjacent tournaments. This week’s stint in the Baha Mar Championships in The Bahamas features games against Memphis on Thursday and either No. 15 Texas Tech or Wake Forest on Friday.
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Each of the other three participants can potentially push Purdue in important and useful ways. Here’s a look at the rest of the field:
How Memphis can challenge Purdue basketball
Results: 1-2 — defeated San Francisco 76-70; lost at Ole Miss 83-77; lost to UNLV 92-78
Last season: 29-6; lost to Colorado State 78-70 in first round of NCAA tournament
Players to know: The Tigers are regrouping to start the season after last season’s All-AAC Player of the Year P.J. Haggerty transferred to Kansas State and Newcomer of the Year Dain Dainja left for the NBA.
Sincere Parker (6-3, Sr., G) leads the balanced scoring with 11.3 points per game. Dug McDaniel (5-11, Sr., PG) averages 10.7 points and 4.3 assists and is the top candidate to make his way to the free throw line.
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Memphis continues to search for answers in the frontcourt, though. Julius Thedford (6-4, Soph., G) averages 7.7 points and 5.7 rebounds, Hasan Abdul Hakim (6-8, Sr., G) — who coach Penny Hardaway said is the team’s rebounder — has not yet played due to a quad injury. According to the Commercial-Appeal, it is not known if he will play Thursday.
How Memphis can challenge Purdue: The Tigers could bring a similar athletic element to what Alabama did last week, though without the prolific perimeter shooting. They have created a lot of steals early, though at 81.7 points allowed per game there are indications that aggressiveness is costing them elsewhere.
Expect a lot of guards and wings attacking downhill, which should come as a welcome challenge for a Boilermaker team still seeking improvement in dribble containment.
How Wake Forest can challenge Purdue basketball
Results: 3-1 — defeated American 88-74; defeated Morehead State 84-64; lost vs. Michigan 85-84 in OT in Detroit; defeated UMass Lowell 109-75.
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Last season: 21-11, no postseason.
Players to know: You already know one of them pretty well. Myles Colvin transferred to the Demon Deacons in April and quickly started posting highlights. His fast-break dunk over Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau went viral. He also beat the halftime buzzer from beyond halfcourt against UMass Lowell.
Colvin comes off the bench but averages more minutes (26.2) than three of the regular starters. He’s averaging 9.5 points and 3.8 rebounds while shooting 31.6% from 3.
Juke Harris (6-7, Soph., G) averages 21.8 points — scoring 18 or more in every game — and 7.0 rebounds. Tre’Von Spillers (6-7, Sr., F), a former Juco All-American and All-Sun Belt player at Appalachian State, averages 16.2 points and 6.5 boards
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How Wake Forest can challenge Purdue: Defense has been an early strength, with a rotation full of longer bodies ranking in the top 10 nationally in steals percentage and top 20 in 3-point defense. The schedule has been weak, other than a semi-neutral meeting with Michigan which showed Wake Forest might be for real.
If this matchup materializes, this could be the sort of opponent which interrupts Purdue’s elite offensive efficiency. If so, it will be up to the Boilers to contain Wake Forest’s 3-point shooting and keep it off the offensive boards (15.8 per game).
How Texas Tech can challenge Purdue basketball
Results: 3-1 — defeated Lindenwood 98-60; defeated Sam Houston State 98-77; lost at Illinois 81-77; defeated Milwaukee 80-63.
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Last season: 29-8, lost to eventual national champion Florida 84-79 in NCAA tournament Elite Eight.
Players to know: Braden Smith won’t be the only preseason All-American in this tournament. JT Toppin (6-8, Jr., F) is the reigning Big 12 Player of the Year. He scored 35 at Illinois with 11 rebounds, three blocks and three steals. His 10 rebounds against Milwaukee were a season low.
Christian Anderson (6-3, Soph., G) provides the star power counter-punch, averaging 19.5 points and 9.0 assists while shooting 38.5% from 3. Donovan Atwell (6-5, Sr., G), a UNC Greensboro transfer, is shooting 47.8% from 3 on more than nine attempts per game.
How Texas Tech can challenge Purdue: Toppin vs. Trey Kaufman-Renn will be must-watch television if this comes together Friday night. The Boilers’ senior forward has looked forward to more size-equated matchups now that he’s not forced to spent most of his night at the 5. Well, here you go.
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Offensively, the Red Raiders have some early trends in common with Purdue — namely solid offensive rebounding and good perimeter shooting. A big factor could be how decisively Oscar Cluff and Daniel Jacobsen win their matchup with a pair of 6-11 centers in Marial Akuentok and Luke Bamgboye.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Purdue basketball preview at Baha Mar vs Memphis, Wake Forest, Texas Tech
