Game Preview: #2 Purdue (3-0) vs Akron (3-0)

#2 Purdue returns to Mackey on the wave of a big road win against top-10 Alabama to host MAC champion and 3-0 Akron on Sunday.

Purdue is currently on its longest home non-conference winning streak in program history. Purdue has won its last 34 non-conference games at Mackey Arena.

And while Akron won’t come into the game carrying a top-ten ranking, it does come into Mackey as one of the best mid-majors in the country and sporting one of the most high-octane offenses in the country.

Purdue is staring down a trip to the Bahamas where it will play back to back games this week and coming off a major victory in Tuscaloosa.

Is Akron in the perfect position to catch a distracted and hungover Purdue team?

Akron offense is no joke

Akron comes into the game averaging 99.3 points per game. They play fast, shoot well, and move the ball well.

What makes Akron a little different than some mid-majors is that the pressure on offense doesn’t come just from a system or a lead player or two. Akron’s offense is balanced with four players averaging double-figures and three more players averaging 7 or more points.

Akron three guards all average double-digit scoring and more than four assists a piece. Akron will move the ball, it will attack, and all the attention on Shammah Scott, Tavari Johnson, and Evan Mahafey has allowed forward Amani Lyles to lead the team in scoring at 16 points a game on nearly 70% shooting from the floor.

Familiar name

As mentioned, Evan Mahafey should be a familiar name for Big Ten fans. Mahafey started his career at Penn State then transferred and played for two years at Ohio State before coming to Akron for his senior season.

Mahafey has arguably been Akron’s best player, a big 6-6 guard that’s been doing everything for Akron. Mahafey has scored 10.3 points per game, grabbed 5.3 rebounds, dished 5 assists a game, and collected 1.7 blocks and steals a game.

Mahafey will be a great test for a team that plays small on the wing.

Size is king

After out rebounding Alabama by 24, Purdue will once again look to use its size and bigs to dominate the glass.

Will Purdue’s effort be as instant and continuous at home as it was at Tuscaloosa?

Akron doesn’t play a true center. It relies on Mahafey and his also 6-6 brother, Eric Mahaffey, to act as forwards and help on the glass. But Akron has no seven footers and only plays one person deemed as a forward ten or more minutes, and has no real center.

Purdue should have a rebounding advantage, but has struggled this season against smaller teams on the glass. Is that simply because TKR was gone or did Purdue find a new gear in Alabama?

The rebounding will highlight a fascinating mismatch of size. Purdue plays two traditional bigs and Akron has just one on the roster it really trusts. That said, Akron has a nice win over Princeton already, and will look to repeat in the MAC. It’s a skilled team that will be a handful for Purdue who has struggled with teams that can drive and move the ball around. Akron will force Purdue into rotation and to be snug on defense or its bevy of guards will have a good day in Mackey Arena.

On the other end, Purdue’s size should be a constant advantage and allow them to dominate in the paint.

It should be a good game for Purdue will not be back in Mackey Arena until November 28th.