Preview: Duke (6-1) looks to win back-to-back PK events in championship match-up against Purdue (5-0)
Duke Basketball will play for the PK85 Legacy championship on Sunday afternoon. They will face an undefeated Purdue team. Purdue beat No. 6 Gonzaga on Friday night. The game will start at 3:30 PM EST. The teams will have a rest day on Saturday before the championship game. It will be played on the same day as the previous game on Thanksgiving Day and then Black Friday. Duke beat Xavier 71-64 on Thursday. Jeremy Roach scored a season high 21 points and Mark Mitchell added 16.
Duke (6-1) and Purdue (5-0) are playing in the championship match-up.
Jeremy Roach was outstanding against Xavier. Mark Mitchell thinks Edey is a moose. Gonzaga forward Drew Timme defends Edy. Purdue coach Matt Painter believes early in the season, few teams play with the purpose collectively. The game against Duke was a wakeup call for the team. Jon Scheyer believes it starts with their mindset. He thinks any of them can make a big shot.
Duke and Purdue have played each other in the last eight times. Purdue has won four of the previous seven games. The Boilermakers' last win in that series came in November of 2003. In the 2010 NCAA Tournament, the Blue Devils won by 13. Before that, Grant Hill's team had upset Glenn Robinson's in 1994 NCAA tournament.
Edey is the main offensive player for Purdue. He is averaging a double-double through his first five games. Ethan Morton can play point guard and power forward. Mason Gillis is a part-time starter who is also a good scorer. Braden Smith is one of the team's best guards. He's a former three star Indian prospect. His shot is better than 50 percent from the outside. The guards for the Boilermaker backcourt are freshmen. Jaden Ivey and Bradens Smith are the starters. They replace the All-American Jadon Ivega.
Duke held Xavier to a season-low 64 points. Blue Devils are a combined 93-32 when playing in one of the 12 current NBA arenas. Duke is 5-0 when they play in Portland's Moda Center. Jeremy Roach scored 21 points against Xavier. Kyle Filipowski has scored in double-figures in each of his first seven career games.
Duke and Purdue are playing in the PK-8 championship match-up. Both teams rely heavily on freshmen. Duke's starting center Dereck Lively II is substantially smaller than his opponent. The Blue Devils' defense will have to be disciplined enough to limit the Boilermakers' post game. If Duke can remain disciplined and not fall into the trap of bad shots, the Blue Devil should be able to pull it out.
