LINCOLN, Neb. — The issue with this Purdue team — and I'm using the word "issue" about a team that's still 17-5 — isn't its ceiling.
You've seen that — the team that handled Wisconsin, won at Ohio State and Michigan State, the second half against Notre Dame, played 40 minutes toe to toe with Villanova, etc.
The issue is its floor, the distinct lack of trust this group has earned when playing Big Ten also-rans, its failures in such games having now undercut its chances for a Big Ten title for the second season in a row.
Minnesota, Iowa and now Nebraska have done against Purdue what Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Michigan State couldn't.
Those are three losses in a league where Wisconsin isn't losing more than once or twice more, in all likelihood. And that says nothing of Maryland, hell maybe even Northwestern.
Purdue's is not an issue of ability or experience or whatever, though serious defensive questions again surfaced in Pinnacle Bank Arena, to the point we still don't know if Purdue's a good defensive team that sometimes underachieves or a bad one that sometimes overachieves. There hasn't been much middle ground there, only the extremes.
We've said this before and we will say it again: Purdue has not handled the role of hunted well. It is going to get underdogs' best efforts. It has to match those efforts. Too often, it has not.
It's seemed — seemed — to be an inconsistent concentration level and inconsistent effort level. Maybe those two things go to together, but the turnover issue is not a new one. It just won't die. And the offensive rebounding issue shouldn't be happening.
Who cares that a couple guys you've never heard of - Jeriah Horne and Jack McVeigh just scored 37 between them - because it doesn't matter if Purdue doesn't hand over the same point total off the trash heap - turnovers and second chances.
These are experienced guys and guys who are good enough to be collectively consistent. It's up to them and their coaches alike to get some level of equilibrium established here or else this team is going to be a wildcard all year long.
The instability has already cost an otherwise able team a credible run at a Big Ten championship. It can cost Purdue a lot more down the line if it's not remedied.
You've seen that — the team that handled Wisconsin, won at Ohio State and Michigan State, the second half against Notre Dame, played 40 minutes toe to toe with Villanova, etc.
The issue is its floor, the distinct lack of trust this group has earned when playing Big Ten also-rans, its failures in such games having now undercut its chances for a Big Ten title for the second season in a row.
Minnesota, Iowa and now Nebraska have done against Purdue what Notre Dame, Wisconsin and Michigan State couldn't.
Those are three losses in a league where Wisconsin isn't losing more than once or twice more, in all likelihood. And that says nothing of Maryland, hell maybe even Northwestern.
Purdue's is not an issue of ability or experience or whatever, though serious defensive questions again surfaced in Pinnacle Bank Arena, to the point we still don't know if Purdue's a good defensive team that sometimes underachieves or a bad one that sometimes overachieves. There hasn't been much middle ground there, only the extremes.
We've said this before and we will say it again: Purdue has not handled the role of hunted well. It is going to get underdogs' best efforts. It has to match those efforts. Too often, it has not.
It's seemed — seemed — to be an inconsistent concentration level and inconsistent effort level. Maybe those two things go to together, but the turnover issue is not a new one. It just won't die. And the offensive rebounding issue shouldn't be happening.
Who cares that a couple guys you've never heard of - Jeriah Horne and Jack McVeigh just scored 37 between them - because it doesn't matter if Purdue doesn't hand over the same point total off the trash heap - turnovers and second chances.
These are experienced guys and guys who are good enough to be collectively consistent. It's up to them and their coaches alike to get some level of equilibrium established here or else this team is going to be a wildcard all year long.
The instability has already cost an otherwise able team a credible run at a Big Ten championship. It can cost Purdue a lot more down the line if it's not remedied.
