REACTION: Purdue BARELY Escapes Oakland 87-77 | Ranking in JEOPARDY?

Purdue Boilermakers escape with an 87-77 victory over Oakland, but the performance raises serious questions about the nation's top-ranked team. Can the Boilermakers fix their glaring weaknesses before facing Alabama on the road? This breakdown examines Purdue's struggles against Oakland's zone defense, critical rebounding deficiencies that allowed the Grizzlies to dominate the glass, and concerning bench production that totaled just 13 points. Braden Smith's 20-point, 9-assist performance kept Purdue afloat, while Jack Benter continues impressing as Trey Kaufman-Renn's replacement. The analysis covers why Gicarri Harris went scoreless despite preseason promise, how the centers failed to control the boards, and what Matt Painter's squad must improve immediately. The Alabama preview identifies three non-negotiables for Thursday's showdown in Tuscaloosa: bench players must step up, Purdue's front court must dominate rebounding, and the Boilermakers cannot afford another sub-35% three-point shooting night.Discover why this wake-up call might be exactly what Purdue needs. DoorDash With DoorDash Streaks, you save every Saturday you order — stack it up all season and you could save up to $250. Order this Saturday. Keep the streak alive. Fuel your gameday — only with DoorDash. Terms apply. Promo period through 11/18. SupplyHouse Join the free TradeMaster program today and score serious perks like priority shipping, lower prices, and a dedicated support line. Visit SupplyHouse.com to sign up for free and use promo code SHCOLLEGE5 for 5% off your first order. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.