BLOOMINGTON - Man, this was a complicated game to put into perspective.
On one hand, Purdue flat-out beat itself again by allowing for so many impactful turnovers. IU is one of the best offensive teams you're going to see and didn't need the help. Thirteeen turnovers is not a ridiculous number, but the 20 points they produced was. The 14 Indiana scored off Purdue's first five set the tone for this game. That was an amazing number.
On the other hand, Purdue could have rolled into the fetal position on a floor I'm not sure anybody but Indiana was winning on tonight. The Boilermakers easily could have lost this game by 25.
So eye-of-the-beholder stuff I guess. Have to give Purdue credit for fighting without overlooking the fact it yet again put itself in a position on the road where it had to.
I don't know what to make of the end of the game, either. My thought having finally seen a replay is that the contact with the rim was so pronounced that it was probably a valid goal tend call. But I don't know.
Doesn't matter now.
The reality is that Purdue just shot damn near 60 percent on the road and lost. This wasn't about A.J. Hammons being in foul trouble - though that didn't help - or Rapheal Davis not doing anything - though something could have helped - but rather just about Purdue providing Indiana way too much help, help it A) didn't need and B) had enough of with this tremendous crowd.
Like I said, not sure anybody but IU was winning here tonight. That Purdue even made this crowd sweat was a pretty epic troll job.
Again, Purdue fought and ended this game on a remotely positive note, though no one is taking any solace in losing close, not to these guys, not in this building. But Purdue should yet again be kicking itself after a game in which it shot at a really high level, made threes, but lost on turnovers and missed free throws.
A face-palm sort of deal.
Now what?
My guess is Purdue rebounds well from this and wins out to close the regular season. It will have to go without a big-time road win for its résumé, but I should remind that Pittsburgh and Wisconsin are no slouches right now.
Purdue has been an inconsistent basketball team on the road, never more so than tonight, to do so many good things only to render them meaningless with bad things.
It's too bad for Purdue.
Another opportunity came and went, but more lie ahead.
On one hand, Purdue flat-out beat itself again by allowing for so many impactful turnovers. IU is one of the best offensive teams you're going to see and didn't need the help. Thirteeen turnovers is not a ridiculous number, but the 20 points they produced was. The 14 Indiana scored off Purdue's first five set the tone for this game. That was an amazing number.
On the other hand, Purdue could have rolled into the fetal position on a floor I'm not sure anybody but Indiana was winning on tonight. The Boilermakers easily could have lost this game by 25.
So eye-of-the-beholder stuff I guess. Have to give Purdue credit for fighting without overlooking the fact it yet again put itself in a position on the road where it had to.
I don't know what to make of the end of the game, either. My thought having finally seen a replay is that the contact with the rim was so pronounced that it was probably a valid goal tend call. But I don't know.
Doesn't matter now.
The reality is that Purdue just shot damn near 60 percent on the road and lost. This wasn't about A.J. Hammons being in foul trouble - though that didn't help - or Rapheal Davis not doing anything - though something could have helped - but rather just about Purdue providing Indiana way too much help, help it A) didn't need and B) had enough of with this tremendous crowd.
Like I said, not sure anybody but IU was winning here tonight. That Purdue even made this crowd sweat was a pretty epic troll job.
Again, Purdue fought and ended this game on a remotely positive note, though no one is taking any solace in losing close, not to these guys, not in this building. But Purdue should yet again be kicking itself after a game in which it shot at a really high level, made threes, but lost on turnovers and missed free throws.
A face-palm sort of deal.
Now what?
My guess is Purdue rebounds well from this and wins out to close the regular season. It will have to go without a big-time road win for its résumé, but I should remind that Pittsburgh and Wisconsin are no slouches right now.
Purdue has been an inconsistent basketball team on the road, never more so than tonight, to do so many good things only to render them meaningless with bad things.
It's too bad for Purdue.
Another opportunity came and went, but more lie ahead.
