Purdue and Marquette hook up for the Championship Game today at the Maui Classic in Honolulu. Purdue brings almost everyone back from last season, including all five starters, but they’ve struggled offensively in Hawaii. They couldn’t make a bucket in the first half against Tennessee yesterday shooting 20% but regrouped at the half hitting 54% in the second half. Marquette forced 18 Kansas turnovers yesterday. I’m on the experience of Purdue, on the money-line.

Purdue escaped with a win last night against the Volunteers. Marquette has been playing much better than the Boilermakers in this tournament. The Golden Eagles will attempt to push the pace, taking Zach Edey out of the game in transition. Edey will get his, but Marquette does a good job at not fouling and if they can make him uncomfortable, the Golden Eagles have the guard to play to defend Purdue’s other scoring options.

Remember, it was Marquette, not eventual national champ UConn, who won the Big East Tourney at MSG last March, and was the highest-seed loop rep in the Dance before being dumped in the second round by Michigan State's roughhouse tactics (that, however, was one round more than Purdue advanced in the Dance). Shaka Smart's ace-in-the-hole tonight might be 6-11 Oso Ighodaro, whose deft ability as a passer allows the Golden Eagles to play thru another distributor besides PG Tyler Kolek, and also affords Shaka Smart with a threat from the high post. That poses a dual problem for Purdue and 7-4 Zach Edey, who risks being pulled farther from the rim if he goes out to challenge Ighodaro, Play Marquette (at Honolulu)