HARTFORD — Some final musings from Purdue's 61-48 win over Old Dominion at the NCAA Tournament.
• Carsen Edwards' decision-making was very good tonight, and I do think that when that's the case, the shooting percentages don't matter nearly as much. He made the right play far more often than not tonight, got it out of his hands when he was doubled, and simply used peoples' attention on him against them. That makes Purdue's team better and transcends his own shooting success or lack thereof. Assists are always going to be a good temperature gauge for him in that sense, and he had a bunch tonight, against only two turnovers.
This is what Purdue needs from him to do something in this tournament.
• I don't know what's more significant under the circumstances, that Eric Hunter was good defensively, or that he wasn't bad defensively? Don't know if that makes sense or not, but had he been the latter, and Ahmad Caver gotten earlier, Old Dominion might have gotten off to a better start and the game may have unfolded slightly differently. But Purdue's first few defensive possessions were great, and Hunter was a big part of it, I think.
Under the circumstances, or even regardless of circumstances, you have to give him a lot of credit for this win, and he played well on offense, too, going turnover-free in the most meaningful minutes he's played this season.
As well as Purdue played defensively, Old Dominion still had a lot of great looks two inches from the rim, that a more skilled team would have put down. I think the Monarchs' offensive limitations showed up tonight and might be worth keeping top of mind when assessing this game. That said, you can't ask Purdue to do much more than it did, other than maybe never turn the ball over. That was Purdue's greatest defensive vulnerability and it's not like there were that many of them.
• Sorry this is so late. Ever been both locked out of, and locked in a parking garage in the very same night? Yeah, me neither.
(Seriously, I recount this harrowing tale here)
• Purdue deserves a lot of credit for not just winning this game but doing so decidedly basically without Nojel Eastern.
That doesn't mean necessarily it can keep doing it. If this ankle is a problem, Purdue has a problem, and there's no such thing as a minor injury during two-day-turnaround season.
• Look at what Aaron Wheeler's been able to get done the past couple games just by running the floor. I think that was especially important tonight to get those easy ones — not that the eurostep was easy — because this is an Old Dominion team that seems built to try to give you nothing easy. It obviously undermined that aim by throwing the ball to no one a few times.
Anyway, Wheeler's doing some really positive things right now, and that bodes well not just for now, but for later.
• Carsen Edwards' decision-making was very good tonight, and I do think that when that's the case, the shooting percentages don't matter nearly as much. He made the right play far more often than not tonight, got it out of his hands when he was doubled, and simply used peoples' attention on him against them. That makes Purdue's team better and transcends his own shooting success or lack thereof. Assists are always going to be a good temperature gauge for him in that sense, and he had a bunch tonight, against only two turnovers.
This is what Purdue needs from him to do something in this tournament.
• I don't know what's more significant under the circumstances, that Eric Hunter was good defensively, or that he wasn't bad defensively? Don't know if that makes sense or not, but had he been the latter, and Ahmad Caver gotten earlier, Old Dominion might have gotten off to a better start and the game may have unfolded slightly differently. But Purdue's first few defensive possessions were great, and Hunter was a big part of it, I think.
Under the circumstances, or even regardless of circumstances, you have to give him a lot of credit for this win, and he played well on offense, too, going turnover-free in the most meaningful minutes he's played this season.
As well as Purdue played defensively, Old Dominion still had a lot of great looks two inches from the rim, that a more skilled team would have put down. I think the Monarchs' offensive limitations showed up tonight and might be worth keeping top of mind when assessing this game. That said, you can't ask Purdue to do much more than it did, other than maybe never turn the ball over. That was Purdue's greatest defensive vulnerability and it's not like there were that many of them.
• Sorry this is so late. Ever been both locked out of, and locked in a parking garage in the very same night? Yeah, me neither.
(Seriously, I recount this harrowing tale here)
• Purdue deserves a lot of credit for not just winning this game but doing so decidedly basically without Nojel Eastern.
That doesn't mean necessarily it can keep doing it. If this ankle is a problem, Purdue has a problem, and there's no such thing as a minor injury during two-day-turnaround season.
• Look at what Aaron Wheeler's been able to get done the past couple games just by running the floor. I think that was especially important tonight to get those easy ones — not that the eurostep was easy — because this is an Old Dominion team that seems built to try to give you nothing easy. It obviously undermined that aim by throwing the ball to no one a few times.
Anyway, Wheeler's doing some really positive things right now, and that bodes well not just for now, but for later.
