HARTFORD — A few final musings from Purdue's 87-61 win over Villanova.
• I've put an hour or so now of half-hearted thought into it and I can't think of a game in my 15 years or whatever it's been around Purdue basketball in which Purdue played this well, at least in context, in a game of this significance. Not sure you can realistically play better than Purdue did, because it's offensive was great, but it's defense may have been greater and rebounding greatest.
This was a special performance by Carsen Edwards but just part of something big all across the board.
That was the defending champ, playing with a virtual homecourt advantage, too.
• You know, two seasons ago, Purdue lost arguably the best player in the country, then won more games and went just as far in the NCAA Tournament the next year. From that team, it lost one of the great senior classes in school history, a team that should have at least gone to the Elite Eight last season, then came back this year, won the Big Ten and now will go at least as far as both its predecessors in the NCAA Tournament.
Credit the players obviously, but clearly the coach is doing something very well.
• Full disclosure: I thought Purdue was gonna get beat tonight, but I felt that way mostly because of Nojel Eastern's ankle and the homecourt situation for Villanova. Obviously both were much ado about nothing. Eastern looked fine, and Purdue played too well for the crowd to matter.
The latter was really significant, I thought, Purdue's ability to punch Villanova in the nose every time it got its head above water.
• I know he's far from the story, but Grady Eifert was terrific tonight. Eric Paschall got him a couple times on D, but Paschall's an NBA player, IMO, and Eifert outplayed him in the NCAA Tournament, if you ask me. Eifert's five points, seven rebounds and five assists to no turnovers mattered far more than anything anyone did for Villanova, and the boards really mattered in this game. Eifert was a big part of that, too.
Good night, everybody.
• I've put an hour or so now of half-hearted thought into it and I can't think of a game in my 15 years or whatever it's been around Purdue basketball in which Purdue played this well, at least in context, in a game of this significance. Not sure you can realistically play better than Purdue did, because it's offensive was great, but it's defense may have been greater and rebounding greatest.
This was a special performance by Carsen Edwards but just part of something big all across the board.
That was the defending champ, playing with a virtual homecourt advantage, too.
• You know, two seasons ago, Purdue lost arguably the best player in the country, then won more games and went just as far in the NCAA Tournament the next year. From that team, it lost one of the great senior classes in school history, a team that should have at least gone to the Elite Eight last season, then came back this year, won the Big Ten and now will go at least as far as both its predecessors in the NCAA Tournament.
Credit the players obviously, but clearly the coach is doing something very well.
• Full disclosure: I thought Purdue was gonna get beat tonight, but I felt that way mostly because of Nojel Eastern's ankle and the homecourt situation for Villanova. Obviously both were much ado about nothing. Eastern looked fine, and Purdue played too well for the crowd to matter.
The latter was really significant, I thought, Purdue's ability to punch Villanova in the nose every time it got its head above water.
• I know he's far from the story, but Grady Eifert was terrific tonight. Eric Paschall got him a couple times on D, but Paschall's an NBA player, IMO, and Eifert outplayed him in the NCAA Tournament, if you ask me. Eifert's five points, seven rebounds and five assists to no turnovers mattered far more than anything anyone did for Villanova, and the boards really mattered in this game. Eifert was a big part of that, too.
Good night, everybody.
