5 reasons why Purdue will not make the Final Four 

The Purdue Boilermakers enter the NCAA Tournament as a No. 1 seed for the second year in a row. They have their sights set on a deep run this year after 16th-seeded Fairleigh Dickinson completed the unthinkable and took down the top-seeded Boilermakers in the first round last year. That was the third consecutive March Madness exit to a double-digit seed for Purdue.

With standout players such as Zach Edey and Braden Smith, third-ranked Purdue (29-4) possesses the talent needed to cut down the nets at the end of the tournament. However, Purdue will be required to overcome many obstacles that stand in the way of reaching the Final Four, and the Boilermakers may not be up for the task.

Here are a few of those obstacles that may prevent them from reaching the Final Four in 2024.

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5 reasons why Purdue will not make the Final Four

#1, Defensive struggles

Although the Boilermakers have ranked inside the top five all season, they haven't been as dominant on the defensive side of the ball as the other top teams. Despite Zach Edey's rim-protecting ability, Purdue still ranks 119th in opponent scoring average.

They rank near the bottom in opponent field-goal attempts per game, allowing 62.5 per game. They've also struggled in the steals category, averaging just 5.7 per game, ranking in the bottom third of all NCAA Division I teams.

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#2, Free-throw shooting

Purdue has had no problem getting to the free-throw line this season, but the Boilermakers shoot just a decent 72.1% from the stripe. Over the years, many teams in the NCAA Tournament have fallen short due to an inability to knock down clutch free throws.

Free throws during March Madness games could mean the difference between a major upset and a deep tournament run. If the Boilermakers aren't their best at the line, it could spell another early exit.

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#3, Competition

To make the Final Four, Purdue may eventually be required to overcome teams like 17th-ranked Kansas (22-10), 18th-ranked Gonzaga (25-7), 11th-ranked Creighton (23-9), Texas (20-12) and sixth-ranked Tennessee (24-8). This is no easy path for the Boilermakers, and it will require them to take no games off.

Purdue has slipped against four teams this season. First to Northwestern and Nebraska, both teams seeded much lower than them in this year's tournament. Then to Ohio State, a team that failed to be selected for the NCAA Tournament. And finally, to fifth-seed Wisconsin in the Big Ten Tournament semifinals.

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#4, Past failures

Purdue is just 2-3 in the last three March Madness tournaments. All three of its losses came to teams seeded 13 or higher. These losses can weigh heavily on the psyche of a team that has been a top three seed in each of those years.

They are coming off a year where they were just the second No. 1 seed in March Madness history to be defeated in the first round by a 16-seed. They will need to put that 63-58 loss to Fairleigh Dickinson completely behind them.

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#5, Lack of ability to switch on pick and roll

While reigning NCAA Player of the Year Zach Edey has once again had an outstanding season, his lack of mobility and inability to stay in front of quicker ball handlers could present an issue for Purdue.

Edey is a force down low, but outside of the paint is where his dominance begins to fade. Teams going against the Boilermakers will likely take advantage of the pick-and-roll game in an attempt to get Edey to switch on to their faster guards. If put into this situation and he fails to stay in front of the quicker ball handlers, it could put an early end to their March Madness run.