Purdue got a taste of March - kind of.
Texas Southern just wrapped up a merciless start to its season with seven road games, and they offered Purdue an early look at the caliber of team it will likely face at the start of this year's NCAA Tournament. Obviously, everyone here knows why that matters.
Here's some quick observations from Purdue's:
Smith has elevated:
For a lot of last year, Braden Smith was really good. But the NCAA Tournament was a microcosm of the true freshman's red flags - turned the ball over too much, too passive, and a bit too small.
This season's Smith is still small, and the turnovers still show up from time to time, but this Smith is an entirely different animal. He's turned a corner and he's without a doubt Purdue's second best player, and at times, he's looked like its best. If teams win with guards in March, Smith is starting to look like a guard that can lead Purdue deep into the tournament. Smith is shooting 11 of 22 from three this season, most of those threes coming off his own creation, rising up on pull up threes over an Edey screen. He's over 50% from inside the arc. He's raised his assist rate to over 40% after tonight's game, good for 15th best in the country. There's just not many guards in the country with the kind of dynamic, all-around game as Smith who has made it routine to threaten triple-doubles.
When Purdue's offense looked out of sync with Texas Southern's five guard lineup and they were making it impossible to get the ball inside, it was Smith that created his four-point play. It's not just the shot-making, or the ending the half with the lefty lay up, it's just how much more in control Smith has seemed this season.
Jones has elevated:
I don't think it's a coincidence that Smith has looked better with another dynamic guard next to him. It was something of a surprise at the beginning of the season when Lance Jones was named the third starter. It seems like a no brainer now. Jones has helped unlock Purdue's offense and allowed Smith to flourish. Purdue is playing faster. After being 324th in adjusted tempo last season, this year's Purdue squad is 89th. Jones is a huge reason for that, alongside Smith's ability to rebound and push the ball. While Purdue will, as Painter put it after the game, wait for Edey to make his way up court a lot, the ability to go and get easy points in transition or break down a defense before it gets set makes the game of basketball so much easier.
Jones has been the fastest player on the floor in almost every game this season, and Smith is more than eager to try and keep up. Purdue blew the roof off Mackey with Smith finding Jones in transition for back to back threes. Jones has turned turnovers and outlet passes into lay ups and free throws at the other end. In games against tough opponents, stealing even one or two buckets during tough stretches can be the difference in the game. Smith has someone to take some pressure off of him in Jones, someone who defends 1-3, who fights, and can stretch the floor.
Purdue is touted as having brought back most its squad and production from last year. But with the expansion of Smith's game and the addition of Jones, it looks like a completely different team at times.
Purdue is capable of overwhelming teams not just with Edey, but with its guard play, too.
Texas Southern just wrapped up a merciless start to its season with seven road games, and they offered Purdue an early look at the caliber of team it will likely face at the start of this year's NCAA Tournament. Obviously, everyone here knows why that matters.
Here's some quick observations from Purdue's:
Smith has elevated:
For a lot of last year, Braden Smith was really good. But the NCAA Tournament was a microcosm of the true freshman's red flags - turned the ball over too much, too passive, and a bit too small.
This season's Smith is still small, and the turnovers still show up from time to time, but this Smith is an entirely different animal. He's turned a corner and he's without a doubt Purdue's second best player, and at times, he's looked like its best. If teams win with guards in March, Smith is starting to look like a guard that can lead Purdue deep into the tournament. Smith is shooting 11 of 22 from three this season, most of those threes coming off his own creation, rising up on pull up threes over an Edey screen. He's over 50% from inside the arc. He's raised his assist rate to over 40% after tonight's game, good for 15th best in the country. There's just not many guards in the country with the kind of dynamic, all-around game as Smith who has made it routine to threaten triple-doubles.
When Purdue's offense looked out of sync with Texas Southern's five guard lineup and they were making it impossible to get the ball inside, it was Smith that created his four-point play. It's not just the shot-making, or the ending the half with the lefty lay up, it's just how much more in control Smith has seemed this season.
Jones has elevated:
I don't think it's a coincidence that Smith has looked better with another dynamic guard next to him. It was something of a surprise at the beginning of the season when Lance Jones was named the third starter. It seems like a no brainer now. Jones has helped unlock Purdue's offense and allowed Smith to flourish. Purdue is playing faster. After being 324th in adjusted tempo last season, this year's Purdue squad is 89th. Jones is a huge reason for that, alongside Smith's ability to rebound and push the ball. While Purdue will, as Painter put it after the game, wait for Edey to make his way up court a lot, the ability to go and get easy points in transition or break down a defense before it gets set makes the game of basketball so much easier.
Jones has been the fastest player on the floor in almost every game this season, and Smith is more than eager to try and keep up. Purdue blew the roof off Mackey with Smith finding Jones in transition for back to back threes. Jones has turned turnovers and outlet passes into lay ups and free throws at the other end. In games against tough opponents, stealing even one or two buckets during tough stretches can be the difference in the game. Smith has someone to take some pressure off of him in Jones, someone who defends 1-3, who fights, and can stretch the floor.
Purdue is touted as having brought back most its squad and production from last year. But with the expansion of Smith's game and the addition of Jones, it looks like a completely different team at times.
Purdue is capable of overwhelming teams not just with Edey, but with its guard play, too.
