ADVERTISEMENT

A little History

This sent to me from my daughter a 2013 Chemical Engineering Graduate.

Monday is going to be epic! August 7, 1869, was Indiana’s last total solar eclipse, with totality spreading across the southern and western portions of the state.

Purdue University was founded in 1869!

One hundred years later,
In 1969, Boilermakers made it to the NCAA Championship game.

That was the same year Purdue graduate, Neil Armstrong, became the first man to walk on the moon!

Boiler up, Purdue! The sun, the moon and all the stars are aligned! Shine bright

Purdue men's basketball Angry Braden Smith enters the title game

Smith is his own harshest critic, a swarm of twitter like trolls in his head screaming at him, and sometimes they come out like they did against Grambling State in his second game against a #16 seed when the offense wasn't buzzing and he was wide open at the three-point line and his shot didn't go.

Purdue, UConn and Houston...

...and then the rest of the country.

We've talked all year about polls, the NET, SOS, Quad 1 wins and the eye test. You can say that you don't care is Purdue is #1 overall or not, and that's ok. Some people like me do care. For one thing, it specifically means avoiding the other 2 until April 8th. I think that's important considering how much of a drop off there seems to be after these 3 teams.

Currently, UConn is avenging one of their losses by destroying Seton Hall at home. It doesn't sound louder than Sunday church at Gampel though. I figure they jump us to #2 tomorrow. For whatever that is worth.

Houston won a high-scoring game yesterday, at the (almost) buzzer at Oklahoma. I'm sure none of us watched it since it was at the same time as our game but they let a decent-sized lead slip away before getting a fortunate bounce before the game-winner. The fact that they could win an up-tempo game on the road against a respectable team is something new.

Remaining schedules all have challenges.
Purdue:
Tues at Illinois
Sunday vs Wisconsin

UConn:
Wednesday at Marquette
Saturday at Providence

Houston:
Wednesday at UCF
Saturday vs Kansas

These remaining games may be more important than the respective conference tournaments in determining the final order for the bracket. Purdue has the best resume currently, but I think a loss, if the other 2 both win, will put us #3 overall in 2 weeks. But all 3 could in theory lose a game based on how these schedules are, which would keep it as status quo.

I do think that Tennessee is in the best shape to be the 4th #1 after beating Alabama yesterday. They finish at South Carolina and home against Kentucky, so they too could lose a game.

The other current question now is who is the last 2-seed, after Tennessee, UNC, Marquette and Arizona take #s 4-7 overall. There really isn't a great choice between Iowa State, Baylor, Illinois and Duke if they were to beat Carolina next weekend. The break after 7 is arguably bigger than the break after 3.

For those that missed Julia Edey's message to Zach

@Do Dah Day since you specifically as asked for it. ;) The sad part of Monday...win or lose...is not seeing this group together again. The support they have for each other, the growth they have shown, and the effort they have displayed have provided so many joyous occasions as well as the admiration for them individually and collectively as a team. I hope they win, but if they don't they will always hold a special place in my heart for who they are and how they handled adversity. They are so much more than just great basketball players.

Login to view embedded media

Jay Wright is really good

He can really break the game down for dummies like me. Plus, as a former NC winning coach, he has great insight into what coaches and teams go through. Loved his point about the peace you experience once you know you’re playing on Monday night. It’s one opponent, and you’ve done all you can do except play the game.
So looking forward to Monday night. Hoping for the best, but at peace knowing this Purdue team has had the most successful season in Purdue history regardless of outcome. Maybe Paint will get a recruiting bounce from this, too.
Hail Purdue!

Pissed off Braden Smith enters title game [free article]

Smith is his own harshest critic, a swarm of twitter like trolls in his head screaming at him, and sometimes they come out like they did against Grambling State in his second game against a #16 seed when the offense wasn't buzzing and he was wide open at the three-point line and his shot didn't go.

ADVERTISEMENT

Filter

ADVERTISEMENT