ST. LOUIS − Grant Leonard has the task of trying to match wits with Purdue basketball.
The head coach of Queens can admit that’s a tough predicament, especially considering the Boilermakers’ point guard is Braden Smith.
“He is the smartest player in the country basketball IQ-wise,” Leonard said of Smith. “He’s one of the five toughest players in America. That doesn’t include the skill, the passing, how he makes his teammates better. He is a special young man and the respect I have for him is infinite.”
Smith enters March Madness two assists shy of breaking Bobby Hurley’s NCAA career record.
Queens enters its first NCAA Tournament against the No. 2 seed Boilermakers at 7:35 p.m. Friday.
What Queens said about Purdue basketball at March Madness
Nasir Mann, senior guard, on what makes Queens a dangerous opponent for Purdue: “I would definitely say our versatility and our depth and health. We are a pretty healthy team. We have big guards. (Yoav Berman) is a 6-6 point guard. I am 6-5, 6-6. We have pretty big people on the team. Also, our ability to shoot and space the floor. Everybody on our team can shoot the ball at a pretty good clip. I think that’s a very dangerous thing.”
Yoav Berman, sophomore guard, on how Queens can compete with Purdue: “We play fast and fun. Defensively we can switch up things. I think our separator is rebounding. If we can control the glass and even out the turnovers and rebounding margins, we can definitely do great things here.”
Grant Leonard, head coach, on Purdue’s history of losing to double-digit seeds: “Each team is very different. You can see that the year after they lost to Fairleigh Dickinson, they go to the national championship game. It lets your guys know it’s possible. Any of these upsets, it lets them know it is possible, not just Purdue losing in a game.
Leonard on Purdue’s program: “Coach Painter I think is the model of what coaching should be. How he directs that program, how he leads, how he develops players, how he sees a player’s strengths. Coach Painter is special. That is one of the top five programs of the last decade and it is a huge challenge for our program.”
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Queens coach calls Purdue’s Braden Smith ‘smartest player’ in college basketball
Reporting by Sam King, Lafayette Journal & Courier / Lafayette Journal & Courier
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