No way this was the toughest big ten of all time. Half the teams from the vaunted Big Ten are out on the first day including a 2 and 4 seed. Wisconsin blew out a UNC team that limped in and I don’t really expect much from Iowa and Michigan is a different team without Livers.
He was scouted and teams didn't give him the space late in the season. Improve again his ball handling and improve a bit quicker stroke will serve him very well
It’s called March Madness for a reason. One bad game and you’re done. We had that one bad game
Iowa lost nunge.mich lost Livers. Ohio State lost young. That is a starter loss on two teams and a player that finds the court some for Iowa
It doesn’t matter who lost what players. A great league doesn’t have teams who are 2 and 4 seeds who can’t take care of business in the first round.
It crossed my mind that Shrews might have his head in a different game tonight. Our offense had no spark. The kids played tentative and seemed to have no offensive plan. Not a good look for the future PSU head coach.
@Purduegradintexas, I want to thank you for all the work you put in on so many games providing some background and thoughts to start off each thread. It was enjoyable to participate…even at times when watching was not as enjoyable. Last night after the game there was no shortage of opinions offered on both Purdue sites. It was something expected after losing a game, but few to no offerings before the game of anything in particular. 😉 It really is nothing new and truly happens everywhere at all levels. A few days ago I was playing the Gene video and went through the first 60 minutes with Kim. Last night at half Kim said, ”they need Gene right now”. I thought it was rather funny. Anyway, things will start to slow down soon and I know the board will be somewhat dead until football season. To some of the regulars in the previous threads and some newbies it too was enjoyable sharing thoughts with each of you as well. As I drink my third or so cup of coffee and see the sun come up to my surprise, I realize nothing happened to diminish who I am…only to feel for the kids and coaches that put so much into it. As I mentioned many times previously, when the ball goes up, the game takes on a life of its own. Some know that… Thanks again Purduegradintexas! For all your work!Good evening Ladies & Gentlemen, and welcome to the 2021 NCAA Tournament. The Purdue Boilermakers tip-off in this first round game @ Lucas Oil Stadium as the #4-seed in the "South" Bracket where their opponent is the #13-seed North Texas Mean Green. Television coverage is on TNT with the scheduled start for 7:25 pm (Eastern time). This is the second meeting all-time between the schools; Purdue defeated North Texas 90-73 all the way back in 1970.
North Texas is an experienced squad that can play a deliberate style/pace. They've relied heavily on its seniors, as Javion Hamlet, Zachary Simmons, Thomas Bell, and James Reese have combined to account for 67 percent of the team's scoring this year and 91 percent of all Mean Green points over the team's last five games. Hamlet has made or assisted on 60 percent of all North Texas field goals over the last five games and has accounted for 34 field goals and 33 assists in those games.
The Mean Green can also play some defense - thanks in no small part to their coach Grant McCasland, which Purdue's Matt Painter has noticed. "I've always been a big fan of his," Painter said Wednesday during his NCAA Tournament press availability. "His teams have discipline and they're consistent. They just do a good job getting into the basketball and making it hard for you to do what you want to do. They limit your paint touches. They're grimy. You just have to be able to probe the defense and work it. Against great defensive teams, you're going to have to earn your baskets, and that's what we're going to have to do against North Texas."
The Boilers could very well be in a lower scoring game with fewer possessions, so they'll need to really execute the offense, take the good shots and good opportunities when they present themselves. Limit the second chance opportunities for North Texas and get a few themselves on the boards. Unlike some of the games this season, the Boilers cannot afford to dig an early hole. This is a team that could hang around all game if they're given the chance with a working lead. I expect Purdue will continue to work inside-outside, and hopefully Eric Hunter, Jr. and Sasha Stefanovic can take up some of the scoring load from the back-court. If Trevion Williams and Zach Edey can be patient and execute in the paint - that will really cause problems for North Texas. I expect Jaden Ivey to continue to impact the game on both ends of the floor. Bottom line - the Boilers needs to come out like they did to start the second half in the BTT game - if they do that, I like their chances.....the stakes have gone up......survive and advance or otherwise the season is done. Can these relatively young Boilers keep the train rolling in Indianapolis?
We shall see in about an hour or so.
Boiler Up, my friends.
If Shrews was allowed to plan the offense for an NCAA tournament game while trying to move on to PSU, that's a poor decision on Painter's part...
Is it Pat? Shrews has been the offensive guru all year....holding up his signs. Is Painter all of a sudden going to take that duty over? Give it to someone else? One can't blame an assistant for taking a HC position at a B10 school, but his timing and PSU's timing of announcing it sucked. It should have not been announced until the last game PU played. I personally believe that had a much bigger affect (or is it effect...never can remember that one) on this game than some want to admit.
Yes, it was disappointing...the results...the individual decisions within a game, but our disappointment pales in comparison to the players and coaches that worked so hard through the season. As you and others know, when our disappointments are internal for ourselves, instead of the team and staff, it might not be a bad time to reflect on why.
right or wrong and I would be a horrible person to lead in grammar and such, I have always considered that I may "affect" something or I might be effected by others or effected by blindness to the situation .
Anyone and everyone would probably be better than me in this explanation... 
my hope is that all the players stay and take this loss as motivation to make a deep run in next years ncaa.
I'll second those words. Now if you'll find me a place to Boar hunt in Texas.......
Yes, these game day threads gives a way to interact with fellow fans that have a passion for Purdue basketball during the game. It also takes away some of my nervous energy 😆. Thanks for starting these fellow Texan! Like “Remember the Alamo”, the team needs to “Remember North Texas” and get better for next year.
I too hope for that. I couldn't help but notice the hurt on Aaron at the end on the bench. I'm not going to speculate as to all the feelings he had, but yes there should exist motivation. Someone or a few need to really evaluate where improvement needs to happen within a team setting as well as honest assessment of skills for each player if the drive to win at the highest level is important enough to work like never before. I have always refrained from suggesting this person will take this persons place and so forth and was reminded last night that which was obvious and yet not seen concerning Hamlet. Players can improve over a summer, but the other players on other teams are also working and so how much effort do the Purdue players have over most players on other teams.
Thanks. Fell in love with wild Boar while in Belgium. Have a friend out there now...goes every year. Last year he got two huge boars. Since I retired last year, I'd bring my son with me and thanks for the leads.
Hamlet wasn't all that impressive. Our switching defense just left him wide open several times. Same with Bell. They had absolutely no inside threat, but our guards continued to collapse in the paint and leave their perimeter man wide open. It was like groundhog day all afternoon. And Painter couldn't figure it out...
First, it was McBride that hit the 3 ball, not Hamlet particularly. Without looking I think maybe Hamlet scored the first 7 or so in OT. Purdue switches to keep people in front of the defender and it wasn't switching "directly" that left anyone open...although there were I think 2 breakdowns that Purdue was lucky to not get hurt in players cutting to the basket and obviously not talking.
The kept the ball on the middle of the court for the most part, which should keep the “help” home. But, for some reason, our team has been easy to get scrambling where the players end up losing a shooter in the corner or are helping towards the lane leaving a man wide open in the corner.
No question they shot a lot better the whole game. I do think the 3 ball is easier when it comes around the lane out or in a way that you catch the ball pretty much already facing the goal as opposed to the extra footwork to square up some. With everything that happened...all their hot shooting even if nobody was around...had IT got just a bit more on that pass so that it never went out of bounds two Boilers were streaking towards the basket with possibly 3 seconds with a clean gather by IT for a basket perhaps at the buzzer
