PHILADELPHIA — A few final musings from Purdue's 67-64 NCAA Tournament loss to Saint Peter's, because I know how you like musings, even tonight.
• I never would have thought this would happen against Saint Peter's, but this sort of outcome was always a possibility if not predictable. The best predictor of the future is the past, and the way Purdue's been beaten all season is how it was beaten tonight.
Saint Peter's was great, make no mistake, but this was essentially a third Wisconsin loss for Purdue, where the opponent just kind of got the hell out of the way and let Purdue hurt itself. The Peacocks shot a very Wisconsin-y 39 percent while the Boilermakers committed a very Purdue-y 15 turnovers.
• I could probably go back and find no more than a half dozen loose balls that would have made all the difference in the world for Purdue, and maybe that last offensive rebound Saint Peter's got was another. I haven't seen a replay so I don't know what kind of position Purdue was in, but that was crushing, akin to the defensive rebound Purdue fumbled out of bounds before Rob Phinisee's game-winner at Indiana and a variety of others.
This was not a good loose-ball team, and had it been, things would have been different.
• Jaden Ivey will now depart Purdue with Purdue having never even come close to seeing the best of him. That's the good problem that comes with great talents. Kid has only been scratching the surface, IMO, and tonight was a bump in that road, his remaining basketball immaturity showing up a bit. When this all clicks for him, look out, but he got so good so fast that Purdue won't be the beneficiary when he does.
• As good as Trevion Williams was for stretches tonight, the post let Purdue down tonight. When your advantage is that significant, that needs to be a 70-percent deal from an efficiency perspective and turnovers need to be reasonable. They got to Zach Edey better than virtually anyone has this season.
• Both teams Purdue beat in Connecticut are headed to the Elite Eight. That seems so very long ago right now, but Purdue didn't grow enough as a basketball team following that event. As well as they played out there, there were red flags at that time, and things they needed to grow into to be as good as everyone thought they were at that time. Didn't really fully happen.
I'd argue that offense coming so easy for Purdue back then was not a healthy thing for them.
• Purdue had so many chances to seize control of this game when they were stringing together defensive stops, including the end of the first half. That inexcusable bucket to end the first half was really when the trouble fully started, because that easily could have been a 10-point game at that time instead of just four.
• Shaheen Holloway will do well at Seton Hall.
• Since misery sometimes loves company, I'll say it again: If it can happen to Kentucky, it can happen to anyone. That team is legit good. Purdue still should have beaten them — I generally view turnovers as a Purdue issue more than an opponent issue, and maybe that's myopic of me — but that team is legit good.
• Rough game for Ethan Morton on Doug Edert in his limited minutes. That kid's a tough guard and they run great stuff for him. Sasha Stefanovic did a better job sticking with him, but then committed a couple of those late fouls that were killers.
• Just want to take a moment to thank everyone for your interest and enthusiasm through this season. It's very much appreciated. I love my job most days and you make it all possible.
Now, about these two free days in Philly ...
Thanks for reading, everybody, and have a good night.
• I never would have thought this would happen against Saint Peter's, but this sort of outcome was always a possibility if not predictable. The best predictor of the future is the past, and the way Purdue's been beaten all season is how it was beaten tonight.
Saint Peter's was great, make no mistake, but this was essentially a third Wisconsin loss for Purdue, where the opponent just kind of got the hell out of the way and let Purdue hurt itself. The Peacocks shot a very Wisconsin-y 39 percent while the Boilermakers committed a very Purdue-y 15 turnovers.
• I could probably go back and find no more than a half dozen loose balls that would have made all the difference in the world for Purdue, and maybe that last offensive rebound Saint Peter's got was another. I haven't seen a replay so I don't know what kind of position Purdue was in, but that was crushing, akin to the defensive rebound Purdue fumbled out of bounds before Rob Phinisee's game-winner at Indiana and a variety of others.
This was not a good loose-ball team, and had it been, things would have been different.
• Jaden Ivey will now depart Purdue with Purdue having never even come close to seeing the best of him. That's the good problem that comes with great talents. Kid has only been scratching the surface, IMO, and tonight was a bump in that road, his remaining basketball immaturity showing up a bit. When this all clicks for him, look out, but he got so good so fast that Purdue won't be the beneficiary when he does.
• As good as Trevion Williams was for stretches tonight, the post let Purdue down tonight. When your advantage is that significant, that needs to be a 70-percent deal from an efficiency perspective and turnovers need to be reasonable. They got to Zach Edey better than virtually anyone has this season.
• Both teams Purdue beat in Connecticut are headed to the Elite Eight. That seems so very long ago right now, but Purdue didn't grow enough as a basketball team following that event. As well as they played out there, there were red flags at that time, and things they needed to grow into to be as good as everyone thought they were at that time. Didn't really fully happen.
I'd argue that offense coming so easy for Purdue back then was not a healthy thing for them.
• Purdue had so many chances to seize control of this game when they were stringing together defensive stops, including the end of the first half. That inexcusable bucket to end the first half was really when the trouble fully started, because that easily could have been a 10-point game at that time instead of just four.
• Shaheen Holloway will do well at Seton Hall.
• Since misery sometimes loves company, I'll say it again: If it can happen to Kentucky, it can happen to anyone. That team is legit good. Purdue still should have beaten them — I generally view turnovers as a Purdue issue more than an opponent issue, and maybe that's myopic of me — but that team is legit good.
• Rough game for Ethan Morton on Doug Edert in his limited minutes. That kid's a tough guard and they run great stuff for him. Sasha Stefanovic did a better job sticking with him, but then committed a couple of those late fouls that were killers.
• Just want to take a moment to thank everyone for your interest and enthusiasm through this season. It's very much appreciated. I love my job most days and you make it all possible.
Now, about these two free days in Philly ...
Thanks for reading, everybody, and have a good night.
