Rapheal Davis jumped up and down as if Keady Court were a trampoline, yelling and carrying on.
A.J. Hammons slammed the ball he'd just pried away from some desperate Spartan as time expired and let out an uncharacteristic primal scream after Purdue's overtime win over Michigan State was sealed.
It was celebration, but also catharsis.
You see, these two seniors had before tonight endured entire careers worth of losing to Michigan State. And they'd just stood on the doorstep of their frustrations being doubled down upon as the Spartans obliterated an 18-point early second half lead to be up by four with just two minutes to go.
This was a big one for Purdue, a win quite honestly it had to have, and you saw an awareness of that fact in that post-game celebration.
Maybe not in Davis as much.
All he needs is a reason to jump and down and scream about stuff.
But when the normally stoic Hammons breaks character, that's a different deal.
Again, Purdue wanted this one for its seniors and needed this one for its season.
The Boilermakers needed to beat somebody really good and just did. Michigan State is legit and came in on a four-game run of just buzz-sawing people. Amazing the way that program just keeps rolling no matter what.
You don't beat Michigan State without being tough and Purdue had to be tonight, physically and mentally. That was an important revelation, because Purdue has failed in these situations before, more than once, though in different degrees. Give Michigan State credit for blowing up that lead, but do so without overlooking the help the Boilermakers provided it. Too many turnovers, too many defensive lapses against quick-strike offense. Purdue has to be better.
But Purdue got strong when it needed to and took back a win it had lost, or had seen taken from it, depending on your perspective.
It may have caught a break on the game-winning play, because A.J. Hammons does re-position his leg into Denzel Valentine's path and directs him into Davis for the foul that sent Davis to the line for the game-winner. So that might have been a break, but you win some and you lose some. The refs missed - or chose not to sweat the details, again depending on your perspective - on Valentine chicken-winging Johnny Hill a couple times on those drives, including the shot that tied the game.
Valentine was heroic for Michigan State, as he's been through the bulk of his senior season. Purdue's seniors didn't flinch.
This was a storybook kind of deal for Rapheal Davis, with his first-half shooting, his game-winning free throw and the fact he finally got the Michigan State albatross off his shoulders.
In the first half tonight, he was Robbie Hummel against Ohio State, before Valentine turned into Evan Turner. Sorry for that painful memory, but it was un-freaking-canny.
The result: Different.
Because of Davis.
And because of A.J. Hammons, who missed a triple-double by two blocked shots. He rose to the occasion in a big game tonight and that's one of the biggest signs of growth you have seen from him over the years, among many. This used to be a guy who enjoyed the bright lights in his eyes about as much as Dracula would. Now, he dominates at Pitt, against Vanderbilt, against Michigan State, all in showcase sorts of games.
Apologies to Vince Edwards, by the way. We gave all the credit to Hammons on that game-sealing offensive rebound. That play was all Edwards. Hammons just snatched it away from a Spartan and secured it as time expired.
Then, he screamed.
It was part celebrate, but also part relief, maybe a little bit of exhaustion.
Purdue got a win it really needed tonight. And it really earned it.
What's better?
To surge to a win solely on outlier shooting that may never replicate itself?
Or to be in the position Purdue was in with two minutes left tonight and have to find a way?
I know what I'd say, especially now.
There are more games like this one to come. February is a wood chipper of a schedule that affords Purdue no quarter. This group is going to find itself in that same position again, here's guessing.
For one night at least, Purdue was good enough. Or at least tough enough.
A.J. Hammons slammed the ball he'd just pried away from some desperate Spartan as time expired and let out an uncharacteristic primal scream after Purdue's overtime win over Michigan State was sealed.
It was celebration, but also catharsis.
You see, these two seniors had before tonight endured entire careers worth of losing to Michigan State. And they'd just stood on the doorstep of their frustrations being doubled down upon as the Spartans obliterated an 18-point early second half lead to be up by four with just two minutes to go.
This was a big one for Purdue, a win quite honestly it had to have, and you saw an awareness of that fact in that post-game celebration.
Maybe not in Davis as much.
All he needs is a reason to jump and down and scream about stuff.
But when the normally stoic Hammons breaks character, that's a different deal.
Again, Purdue wanted this one for its seniors and needed this one for its season.
The Boilermakers needed to beat somebody really good and just did. Michigan State is legit and came in on a four-game run of just buzz-sawing people. Amazing the way that program just keeps rolling no matter what.
You don't beat Michigan State without being tough and Purdue had to be tonight, physically and mentally. That was an important revelation, because Purdue has failed in these situations before, more than once, though in different degrees. Give Michigan State credit for blowing up that lead, but do so without overlooking the help the Boilermakers provided it. Too many turnovers, too many defensive lapses against quick-strike offense. Purdue has to be better.
But Purdue got strong when it needed to and took back a win it had lost, or had seen taken from it, depending on your perspective.
It may have caught a break on the game-winning play, because A.J. Hammons does re-position his leg into Denzel Valentine's path and directs him into Davis for the foul that sent Davis to the line for the game-winner. So that might have been a break, but you win some and you lose some. The refs missed - or chose not to sweat the details, again depending on your perspective - on Valentine chicken-winging Johnny Hill a couple times on those drives, including the shot that tied the game.
Valentine was heroic for Michigan State, as he's been through the bulk of his senior season. Purdue's seniors didn't flinch.
This was a storybook kind of deal for Rapheal Davis, with his first-half shooting, his game-winning free throw and the fact he finally got the Michigan State albatross off his shoulders.
In the first half tonight, he was Robbie Hummel against Ohio State, before Valentine turned into Evan Turner. Sorry for that painful memory, but it was un-freaking-canny.
The result: Different.
Because of Davis.
And because of A.J. Hammons, who missed a triple-double by two blocked shots. He rose to the occasion in a big game tonight and that's one of the biggest signs of growth you have seen from him over the years, among many. This used to be a guy who enjoyed the bright lights in his eyes about as much as Dracula would. Now, he dominates at Pitt, against Vanderbilt, against Michigan State, all in showcase sorts of games.
Apologies to Vince Edwards, by the way. We gave all the credit to Hammons on that game-sealing offensive rebound. That play was all Edwards. Hammons just snatched it away from a Spartan and secured it as time expired.
Then, he screamed.
It was part celebrate, but also part relief, maybe a little bit of exhaustion.
Purdue got a win it really needed tonight. And it really earned it.
What's better?
To surge to a win solely on outlier shooting that may never replicate itself?
Or to be in the position Purdue was in with two minutes left tonight and have to find a way?
I know what I'd say, especially now.
There are more games like this one to come. February is a wood chipper of a schedule that affords Purdue no quarter. This group is going to find itself in that same position again, here's guessing.
For one night at least, Purdue was good enough. Or at least tough enough.
