A few final musings from Purdue's 86-64 win over the University of Indianapolis Thursday night, because I know how you like musings.
• I don't know how many more times you need me to say — or hear Matt Painter say — that Purdue has to be better. It does. Much better.
It's silly to pull fire alarms after scrimmages and exhibitions, but Purdue might be wise to starting in practice on Saturday, because they're capable of so much more from a defensive perspective.
• Purdue's supposed to be one of the best teams in the country, so we naturally look at what they weren't great at as opposed to what they were great at.
I don't think Indy did much to force them problems offensively, but six turnovers is a big win.
The Greyhounds only sparingly doubled the post, and it would have been beneficial for Purdue to see more of that, probably.
The new 4s in particular need experience in that sort of scenario, and Zach Edey still must improve from last season handling extra attention, because he'll get plenty of it this season.
• For as much as he provides scoring-wise and on the glass, it's easy to kind of forget that Trevion Williams is an elite passer. He had that game on a string tonight passing out of the post. Just masterclass stuff, and Purdue rewarded him by making a bunch of those threes.
That's still a big difference between him and Zach Edey, I think. I know Williams still leaves people wanting more at times, and Edey was unbelievable all summer, but I'd have to think that positional situation can still prove to be a fluid one.
• Jaden Ivey was 3-of-4 from three. More notably, he took all great shots. All wide-open, catch-and-shoot rhythm jump shots.
• Caleb Furst is going to be really good.
He might be the least-exciting great player to come through this program ever.
• There is going to be an adjustment defensively for both those freshman forwards, and some of Purdue's defensive struggles tonight reflected that. As good a job as Furst has done in ball-screen defense and things like that, he's never really had to get out to shooters before, so that'll be a learning process.
Trey Kaufman-Renn had some difficulties at the defensive end tonight, both in getting out to shooters and containing the dribble. That's to be expected. That's going to be his challenge. The move to playing more away from the basket, I think, is going to be even more challenging for him than it might be for Furst.
• Not to keep banging this drum, but Jaden Ivey and Brandon Newman are two really exuberant, driven and high-motor dudes, and once that energy is applied to being disciplined and solid on defense as opposed to just really active, that's when they'll take off as defenders. Purdue just needs the ball kept outside the paint, and that whole team wasn't nearly good enough tonight against the dribble.
That will get Purdue beat against a good team — or even an OK one — if the Boilermakers aren't careful. You remember how last season ended, right?
• I'll detail this more tomorrow, but there was a play tonight that is going to be such an important play for Purdue all season long.
Ivey was dribbling toward the left wing when a defender came over to help on him, leaving Isaiah Thompson alone in the corner. Ivey made the easy pass, Thompson made the open three, and everyone who has to play Purdue this season still may have gotten reason to believe that Purdue has a high-level scorer aware enough to burn them with simple plays.
Again, guys, Jaden Ivey's decision-making is going to be one of the keys to Purdue's season. That play was a big win.
• Don't sleep on Isaiah Thompson this season. He looks like he's gonna be pretty good.
• There's a role for Ethan Morton on this team, maybe a prominent one. He looks transformed from last season, and I think defensively, he was one of the guys who did a good job tonight. I'd like him better guarding on the wing than on the ball, and that's where Purdue seems to have him. As a 2/3, his length and presumed knowledge would benefit him more than being on the ball, where quickness isn't his strength, and his height can pose challenges against smaller guys.
He's 15-to-1 now, I think, in assist-to-turnover numbers between two intrasquad scrimmages and two preseason competitions.
He's a different player.
• That three that Trey Kaufman-Renn made at the end was wholly irrelevant toward the result of this game, but maybe relevant in the sense that the freshman saw the ball go in, and that might be a very positive thing. He didn't get going offensively against Providence and didn't score against Indy until that shot.
• It was garbage time, but Matt Painter got Brian Waddell a little run there at the end even though he'll redshirt. If things keep progressing the way they have for Waddell all summer, a year from now, he may be starting for this team.
Thanks for reading, everybody, and have a good night.
• I don't know how many more times you need me to say — or hear Matt Painter say — that Purdue has to be better. It does. Much better.
It's silly to pull fire alarms after scrimmages and exhibitions, but Purdue might be wise to starting in practice on Saturday, because they're capable of so much more from a defensive perspective.
• Purdue's supposed to be one of the best teams in the country, so we naturally look at what they weren't great at as opposed to what they were great at.
I don't think Indy did much to force them problems offensively, but six turnovers is a big win.
The Greyhounds only sparingly doubled the post, and it would have been beneficial for Purdue to see more of that, probably.
The new 4s in particular need experience in that sort of scenario, and Zach Edey still must improve from last season handling extra attention, because he'll get plenty of it this season.
• For as much as he provides scoring-wise and on the glass, it's easy to kind of forget that Trevion Williams is an elite passer. He had that game on a string tonight passing out of the post. Just masterclass stuff, and Purdue rewarded him by making a bunch of those threes.
That's still a big difference between him and Zach Edey, I think. I know Williams still leaves people wanting more at times, and Edey was unbelievable all summer, but I'd have to think that positional situation can still prove to be a fluid one.
• Jaden Ivey was 3-of-4 from three. More notably, he took all great shots. All wide-open, catch-and-shoot rhythm jump shots.
• Caleb Furst is going to be really good.
He might be the least-exciting great player to come through this program ever.
• There is going to be an adjustment defensively for both those freshman forwards, and some of Purdue's defensive struggles tonight reflected that. As good a job as Furst has done in ball-screen defense and things like that, he's never really had to get out to shooters before, so that'll be a learning process.
Trey Kaufman-Renn had some difficulties at the defensive end tonight, both in getting out to shooters and containing the dribble. That's to be expected. That's going to be his challenge. The move to playing more away from the basket, I think, is going to be even more challenging for him than it might be for Furst.
• Not to keep banging this drum, but Jaden Ivey and Brandon Newman are two really exuberant, driven and high-motor dudes, and once that energy is applied to being disciplined and solid on defense as opposed to just really active, that's when they'll take off as defenders. Purdue just needs the ball kept outside the paint, and that whole team wasn't nearly good enough tonight against the dribble.
That will get Purdue beat against a good team — or even an OK one — if the Boilermakers aren't careful. You remember how last season ended, right?
• I'll detail this more tomorrow, but there was a play tonight that is going to be such an important play for Purdue all season long.
Ivey was dribbling toward the left wing when a defender came over to help on him, leaving Isaiah Thompson alone in the corner. Ivey made the easy pass, Thompson made the open three, and everyone who has to play Purdue this season still may have gotten reason to believe that Purdue has a high-level scorer aware enough to burn them with simple plays.
Again, guys, Jaden Ivey's decision-making is going to be one of the keys to Purdue's season. That play was a big win.
• Don't sleep on Isaiah Thompson this season. He looks like he's gonna be pretty good.
• There's a role for Ethan Morton on this team, maybe a prominent one. He looks transformed from last season, and I think defensively, he was one of the guys who did a good job tonight. I'd like him better guarding on the wing than on the ball, and that's where Purdue seems to have him. As a 2/3, his length and presumed knowledge would benefit him more than being on the ball, where quickness isn't his strength, and his height can pose challenges against smaller guys.
He's 15-to-1 now, I think, in assist-to-turnover numbers between two intrasquad scrimmages and two preseason competitions.
He's a different player.
• That three that Trey Kaufman-Renn made at the end was wholly irrelevant toward the result of this game, but maybe relevant in the sense that the freshman saw the ball go in, and that might be a very positive thing. He didn't get going offensively against Providence and didn't score against Indy until that shot.
• It was garbage time, but Matt Painter got Brian Waddell a little run there at the end even though he'll redshirt. If things keep progressing the way they have for Waddell all summer, a year from now, he may be starting for this team.
Thanks for reading, everybody, and have a good night.
