Scouting Purdue

Next up: Purdue, 11: 30 a.m. Saturday at Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, Ind.
TV: Big Ten Network

More than anything, the Chippewas need: Senior forward Chris Kellermann (right) to step up. Since returning after missing the majority of last season with an ankle injury, the senior forward has been less than stellar. He has averaged 9.6 points, 4.6 rebounds and recorded only four assists. He and center Marko Spica (7.2 points-2.6 rebounds-1 total assist) must get their teammates involved by finding the open man if they're smothered down low. Coach Ernie Zeigler has been less than impressed, as Kellermann only averages 23.2 minutes per game, tied for fourth on the team. Kellermann started CMU's first game, a 71-68 loss to Princeton, but has come off the bench in three of the past four games. He also is shooting only 3-of-16 from 3-point range (18.8 percent). Also watch out for foul trouble with Kellermann, whose 18 personal fouls lead the team. He averaged a team-high 14.4 points per game in seven games before his injury last season (including 15 3-pointers).



Watch out for this guy: Purdue center JaJuan Johnson (right), a 6-foot-10, 215-pound junior who is a force down low. He was named first-team All-Big Ten after last season, when he averaged 13.4 points and 5.6 rebounds per game. CMU really is going to have matchup problems and trouble rebounding in this game just because of this guy. In four games this season, Johnson averages 14.3 points and 6.3 rebounds. Johnson also has 7 blocks to lead the team. CMU must rely on 6-foot-8 Chris Kellermann, 6-foot-9 Marko Spica, 6-foot-7 William McClure or 6-foot-11 Brandon Ford to body up Johnson. Ford only is averaging 10.2 minutes per game.

CMU wins if: Chris Kellermann and Marko Spica are able to somehow handle Purdue's big men, and Robbie Harman and Jordan Bitzer can't miss from behind the arc.

Purdue wins if: They play some semblance of defense.

Purdue last season: A solid year. The Boilermakers went 27-10 overall, 11-7 in the Big Ten to finish second to Michigan State in the regular season. But they rebounded to win the Big Ten Conference tournament and earned a No. 5 seed in the NCAA tournament, where they beat No. 12 Northern Iowa and No. 4 Washington before losing 72-60 to No. 1 seed Connecticut in the Sweet 16.

Coaching: Purdue is led by Matt Painter (left), who holds an 87-50 record at Purdue and is in his fifth season at the helm. CMU is led by Ernie Zeigler (right), who holds a 41-57 mark at CMU in his fourth season in Mount Pleasant.

Boilermakers get early confidence boost: On Monday, the Boilermakers survived two missed free throws by freshman Kelsey Barlow with 16.9 seconds left. No. 9 Tennessee's Wayne Chism missed a 3-pointer that was rebounded by Barlow to secure Purdue's 73-72 win in the Paradise Jam's championship game in St. Thomas, Virgin Islands.

Purdue's starting lineup
F Robbie Hummel, 6-foot-8 junior, 15 points, 6.5 rebounds

C JaJuan Johnson (18 points, 10 rebounds in Purdue's win against St. Joseph's)
G Chris Kramer, 6-foot-3 senior, 7.0 points, 3.9 assists (leads team), 3.5 rebounds
G Keaton Grant, 6-foot-4 senior, 6.5 points, 2.0 rebounds
G E'Twaun Moore, 6-foot-4 junior, 16.0 points (leads team), 3.0 assists, 3.5 rebounds
Sixth, seventh men: Ryne Smith (6-foot-3 sophomore guard, 7.3 points, 6 3-pointers to lead team), Kelsey Barlow (6-foot-5 freshman guard/forward, 2.8 points, 11 assists to rank second on team).

CMU's projected starting lineup
PG Robbie Harman, 6-foot-1 senior, 16.4 points (leads team), 4.0 assists (leads team), 2.2 rebounds, 18 total 3-pointers (leads team)
SG Jordan Bitzer, 6-foot-3 senior, 14.0 points, 5.4 rebounds, 13 3-pointers
G/F Jalin Thomas, 6-foot-5 junior, 9.0 points, 7.4 rebounds (leads team),
F William McClure, 6-foot-7 junior, 1.2 points, 4.2 rebounds
F Chris Kellermann, 6-foot-8 senior
Sixth, seventh men: Finis Craddock, Marko Spica

I think Zeigler goes with Kellermann instead of 6-foot-1 freshman guard Finis Craddock or Marko Spica because of his experience, and the size disadvantage CMU already has. Don't be surprised to see Brandon Ford enter the game early and often to be almost a designated fouler on Johnson if he abuses Kellermann or McClure early on. I also could see Spica and Kellermann starting, with Spica drawing the defensive assignment against Johnson.

Prediction: Purdue 87, CMU 60. 
Don't expect the Chippewas to hang around much in this one. It's Purdue's second home game of the season after an 89-64 beatdown of Cal State Northridge on Nov. 13. It's been two weeks, so even though it's Thanksgiving weekend, expect Mackey to be a full house and rocking. The Boilermakers might be caught looking ahead to hosting Wake Forest on Dec. 1 in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge, but expect them to increase the gap especially in the second half, which has been their trend thus far this season. Purdue leads by about 15 at halftime.

Postscript: CMU hasn't played a Big Ten opponent since beating Michigan 78-67 on Dec. 15, 2007. ... This is the first of only two CMU games that will be broadcast on television; the other is Jan. 9 at Toledo, scheduled for broadcast on Fox Sports-Ohio.