Dusty May on Michigan's 'unbelievable challenge' at Purdue
· Yahoo Sports
Michigan basketball has a daunting task this week, not only facing No. 3 Duke in Washington, D.C. on Saturday, but before even getting that far, the Wolverines have to travel to West Lafayette, where they'll face No. 7 Purdue at Mackey Arena.
The maize and blue enter the contest at 24-1 and with the only loss being to in-conference foe, Wisconsin, currently ranked No. 25. The Boilermakers, once the No. 1 team in the nation (Michigan is now), are 21-4, with two home losses (Iowa State and Illinois) and two road losses (UCLA and Indiana).
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On Monday, Michigan head coach Dusty May previewed the matchup and what makes it so difficult not only to beat the Boilermakers, but also to beat them at Mackey Arena.
"The thing that makes it really tough to play there are Purdue's players. Because they're in those uniforms and they're old, they're good, they're physical," May said. "They have an identity that's been around since I was a little kid. I think I'm 49. So yeah, so for the last 40 years, they have this very similar identity, and they've done a really nice job of adapting to the modern game, to offenses and defenses.
"They're a creative staff. They've got a good mix of older guys, younger guys. A lot of them have that Purdue DNA there with them. And so they have a really strong culture and program that has been established. So that's the first thing that makes it tough. And then with that, you have a fan base that they show up, and it's part of their routine. When there's a game, they go to the game. They don't go to the game because they're playing this opponent or because it's on a Saturday at the right time. They're there, and they build their calendar around those games. And so that makes it unique.
"And then most importantly, outside the players, it's the energy that the fans bring. They're an educated fan base. They know the game. They appreciate the game. They know what winning looks like. And so them being a part of it is certainly a factor where they're contributing to Purdue's success on a nightly basis. But it's an unbelievable challenge for us that I think our guys are up for. And what a great, another great college basketball night in that environment with the quality of players that are on the court, it's gonna be awesome."
Tipoff is at 6:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday. The game will be televised on Peacock.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan's Dusty May previews 'unbelievable challenge' at Purdue