Purdue did the impossible Sunday afternoon.
At least the impossible as I saw it. My logic was sound: Every other game like this Purdue has played in this season, it's lost, usually by a couple dozen.
And the Kohl Center is the Bermuda Triangle of the Big Ten in large part because Wisconsin takes teams that play the way Purdue had most of this season to date, eats them up and spits out their bones.
Coming in Sunday, Purdue looked like a team that would play right into the Badgers' hands.
When the Boilermakers won in Madison with all those freshmen back in '08 I thought that would be the most stunning win I'd ever see at Purdue. After the Kansas game went sideways, that distinction lived on.
Until today, when Purdue improbably out Wisconsin'd Wisconsin in flipping a 13-point first half hole into a 13-point win.
Matt Painter even smiled. It's on tape.
It's been a difficult season for Purdue - for everyone, coaches and players included. I'm sure the coaches did a wonderful job Sunday, but this one is all about the players, players who showed incredible wherewithal and substance as the Boilermakers ruined a heavily favored opponent's senior day for the second year in a row.
This one was about D.J. Byrd, who saved the greatest game of his career - all things considered - for this weekend and ensured himself a shining moment to take out of an otherwise forgettable senior season.
This one was about Terone Johnson, who was absolutely heroic playing on what had to be a bum ankle.
And this one was about Sandi Marcius, from whom the ups and downs of the past four years were probably now all worthwhile, if they weren't already. I already used the word "heroic" but it applies here, too.
Marcius was a dominant figure in this game, a tone-setter who played well enough to make the Boilermakers' greatest physical talent, A.J. Hammons, into a liability.
Yes, this win was about the players, particularly the upperclassmen mentioned above. Leadership has been utterly void this season. On Sunday, it was there in abundance. Purdue played its a$$ off in the Kohl Center and it started with Byrd, Terone Johnson and Marcius.
This win does not all of a sudden turn Purdue's season into a success, but it is a heartening one from a Boilermaker perspective. The spirit that has defined this program for decades was re-kindled, if for just one afternoon, during a season in which it had seemingly been extinguished.
But it speaks to next season, also. What has mattered most about the tail end of this season has been for the Boilermakers to be able to just muster as much positive stuff as it can get heading into next season. Sunday was a hell of a win to pin up on the wall.
Obviously, Byrd will be missed but the critical core of this team should return intact.
Obviously A.J. Hammons has some growing up to do as a player, but his potential remains awesome.
Ronnie Johnson did some growing up Sunday. He's a couple made foul shots at the end away from playing a big-time game in the most daunting of environments.
Donnie Hale will be a better player six months from now, but he did some very positive things Sunday before falling out of the game plan for Purdue could better account for smaller 4 men Ryan Evans and Sam Dekker.
Purdue destroyed Wisconsin on the glass Sunday. That is in part a credit to Rapheal Davis. He was Purdue's 6-foot-5 power forward most of the game Sunday and finished with seven rebounds. His toughness and want-to are nice building blocks for this team moving forward.
As we've said all season long, better days are ahead for Purdue.
But with that said, Sunday was about as good as it gets.
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2013. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited. E-mail GoldandBlack.com/Boilers, Inc.
This post was edited on 3/3 10:49 PM by Alan_GoldandBlack.com
At least the impossible as I saw it. My logic was sound: Every other game like this Purdue has played in this season, it's lost, usually by a couple dozen.
And the Kohl Center is the Bermuda Triangle of the Big Ten in large part because Wisconsin takes teams that play the way Purdue had most of this season to date, eats them up and spits out their bones.
Coming in Sunday, Purdue looked like a team that would play right into the Badgers' hands.
When the Boilermakers won in Madison with all those freshmen back in '08 I thought that would be the most stunning win I'd ever see at Purdue. After the Kansas game went sideways, that distinction lived on.
Until today, when Purdue improbably out Wisconsin'd Wisconsin in flipping a 13-point first half hole into a 13-point win.
Matt Painter even smiled. It's on tape.
It's been a difficult season for Purdue - for everyone, coaches and players included. I'm sure the coaches did a wonderful job Sunday, but this one is all about the players, players who showed incredible wherewithal and substance as the Boilermakers ruined a heavily favored opponent's senior day for the second year in a row.
This one was about D.J. Byrd, who saved the greatest game of his career - all things considered - for this weekend and ensured himself a shining moment to take out of an otherwise forgettable senior season.
This one was about Terone Johnson, who was absolutely heroic playing on what had to be a bum ankle.
And this one was about Sandi Marcius, from whom the ups and downs of the past four years were probably now all worthwhile, if they weren't already. I already used the word "heroic" but it applies here, too.
Marcius was a dominant figure in this game, a tone-setter who played well enough to make the Boilermakers' greatest physical talent, A.J. Hammons, into a liability.
Yes, this win was about the players, particularly the upperclassmen mentioned above. Leadership has been utterly void this season. On Sunday, it was there in abundance. Purdue played its a$$ off in the Kohl Center and it started with Byrd, Terone Johnson and Marcius.
This win does not all of a sudden turn Purdue's season into a success, but it is a heartening one from a Boilermaker perspective. The spirit that has defined this program for decades was re-kindled, if for just one afternoon, during a season in which it had seemingly been extinguished.
But it speaks to next season, also. What has mattered most about the tail end of this season has been for the Boilermakers to be able to just muster as much positive stuff as it can get heading into next season. Sunday was a hell of a win to pin up on the wall.
Obviously, Byrd will be missed but the critical core of this team should return intact.
Obviously A.J. Hammons has some growing up to do as a player, but his potential remains awesome.
Ronnie Johnson did some growing up Sunday. He's a couple made foul shots at the end away from playing a big-time game in the most daunting of environments.
Donnie Hale will be a better player six months from now, but he did some very positive things Sunday before falling out of the game plan for Purdue could better account for smaller 4 men Ryan Evans and Sam Dekker.
Purdue destroyed Wisconsin on the glass Sunday. That is in part a credit to Rapheal Davis. He was Purdue's 6-foot-5 power forward most of the game Sunday and finished with seven rebounds. His toughness and want-to are nice building blocks for this team moving forward.
As we've said all season long, better days are ahead for Purdue.
But with that said, Sunday was about as good as it gets.
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2013. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited. E-mail GoldandBlack.com/Boilers, Inc.
This post was edited on 3/3 10:49 PM by Alan_GoldandBlack.com
