A few final musings from Purdue's 93-65 win over Florida State, because I know how you like musings.
• If Purdue's No. 1 come Monday, no one should even bat an eye. Clearly this one of the best and most complete teams in college basketball.
• Everything Purdue has going for it right now seems sustainable. I don't see anything that reeks of fluke (not the fish) or outlier. Zach Edey and Trevion Williams aren't going to get smaller, Jaden Ivey isn't going to stop being awesome, and while I don't know if Purdue's gonna shoot 44 percent from three all season, they're not gonna soot 24 percent either.
I think this group is built to last, at least offensively.
• I must say I think I nailed it when Caleb Furst when I've always written that when you're good, smart and yu try really hard, productivity finds you. That's exactly what's happening. The kid just keeps popping up at the rim for putbacks and dunks. That's just trying hard and playing fast.
• I don't know if Purdue ever really struggled in this game, but Ethan Morton was the guy, I thought, who settled the Boilermakers down. That's a sophomore role player who came in and steadied one of the best teams in the country when it needed a little something.
• Brandon Newman was so good tonight. That shouldn't be glossed over. This is really something for him to build on.
• Maybe the Big Ten isn't so bad after all. After really struggling in the Gavitt Games, the league was made the ACC kiss the curb through two games. Even Minnesota won. Iowa got a great win last night, obviously Ohio State got a whale of a win tonight and Purdue held serve. Illinois beat Notre Dame despite being down key guys. Rutgers won. Indiana and Northwestern both lost, but at least got to OT on the road.
The Big Ten looks like itself again.
This stuff matters, because the strength of the league is part of the strength of Purdue's résumé come March.
• The way Jaden Ivey broke down Florida State's defense off the bounce in the first half was really something, and it's too bad he wasn't rewarded with any assists for the shots he set Purdue up with.
He's making himself a lot of money right now.
• The two 7-footers Florida State was down, I don't think that would have mattered all that much. The bigs weren't the ones who really hurt FSU anyway.
Thanks for reading, everybody, and have a good night.
• If Purdue's No. 1 come Monday, no one should even bat an eye. Clearly this one of the best and most complete teams in college basketball.
• Everything Purdue has going for it right now seems sustainable. I don't see anything that reeks of fluke (not the fish) or outlier. Zach Edey and Trevion Williams aren't going to get smaller, Jaden Ivey isn't going to stop being awesome, and while I don't know if Purdue's gonna shoot 44 percent from three all season, they're not gonna soot 24 percent either.
I think this group is built to last, at least offensively.
• I must say I think I nailed it when Caleb Furst when I've always written that when you're good, smart and yu try really hard, productivity finds you. That's exactly what's happening. The kid just keeps popping up at the rim for putbacks and dunks. That's just trying hard and playing fast.
• I don't know if Purdue ever really struggled in this game, but Ethan Morton was the guy, I thought, who settled the Boilermakers down. That's a sophomore role player who came in and steadied one of the best teams in the country when it needed a little something.
• Brandon Newman was so good tonight. That shouldn't be glossed over. This is really something for him to build on.
• Maybe the Big Ten isn't so bad after all. After really struggling in the Gavitt Games, the league was made the ACC kiss the curb through two games. Even Minnesota won. Iowa got a great win last night, obviously Ohio State got a whale of a win tonight and Purdue held serve. Illinois beat Notre Dame despite being down key guys. Rutgers won. Indiana and Northwestern both lost, but at least got to OT on the road.
The Big Ten looks like itself again.
This stuff matters, because the strength of the league is part of the strength of Purdue's résumé come March.
• The way Jaden Ivey broke down Florida State's defense off the bounce in the first half was really something, and it's too bad he wasn't rewarded with any assists for the shots he set Purdue up with.
He's making himself a lot of money right now.
• The two 7-footers Florida State was down, I don't think that would have mattered all that much. The bigs weren't the ones who really hurt FSU anyway.
Thanks for reading, everybody, and have a good night.
