INDIANAPOLIS — A few final musings from Purdue's 77-48 win over Butler, because I know how you like musings.
• I'll just say this about the Crossroads Classic ending: It was cool event, and I do think it was a positive thing for the state, the fans and the teams involved. It did restrict scheduling to a certain extent for everybody, Purdue included, but this was Indiana's doing, and you are Indiana because of Indiana. Thinking you're bigger than Indiana is probably bad business. Just like building teams with these East Coast mercenaries while Purdue passed you by with Indiana players and Indiana-type players was bad business.
Thinking you're bigger than Indiana and thinking beyond the state that has made you what you are, and ending an event that was a good thing for the fans who've made you what you are, that just sounds like bad business to me.
Notre Dame, you want out? I get that. Your fans don't live here and you play in the ACC for most of your history you barely recruited Indiana. I get that.
But Indiana wanting out of this, that I don't get. It's great that you got that home-and-home adidas invitational with Kansas, but Kansas plays basketball games in November and the first week of December also.
Gonna be interesting to see what Purdue can get lined up to replace this. I know they're trying to do something meaningful.
• Don't zone Purdue. Don't zone teams with smart kids who can shoot and big kids who can pass.
Purdue never gets zoned, because they've been shredding zones for years now when they do see them.
But zoned Purdue and Purdue was great against it, another look Purdue would see before long. Purdue responded to it like a team that saw zone every game.
• The thing that's neat about the Crossroads Classic is it's one of the few events left where we sit on the floor and can hear the coaches and stuff. Those last seconds of the first half, Matt Painter was coaching that situation like the season depended on it. Can't hurt to send that sort of message that every possession really matters.
• Big game for Caleb Furst and Mason Gillis playing their roles offensively just sort of being available at the basket. Both of them are doing nice jobs as cutters and catching and either finishing or getting fouled. They're making Trevion Williams, Zach Edey and Jaden Ivey better that way.
• I do think Purdue probably got some of its momentum back, and this was the last chance to really do that, because these next couple games don't matter in that sense.
• Jaden Ivey probably isn't going to shoot 46 percent from three for the season, but it's mid-December and he's shooting 46 percent. He might have made a few more million today.
• This is exactly what Purdue needs from Trevion Williams and Zach Edey. They shot like 80 percent, made good decisions and good passes, dominated the glass and played OK D. They were both physical and real presences.
Williams gave them all that right from the jump, the area where Edey had struggled a little bit lately, to start games at least.
That move was a no-brainer, IMO. An easy "fix."
Thanks for reading, everybody, and have a good night.
• I'll just say this about the Crossroads Classic ending: It was cool event, and I do think it was a positive thing for the state, the fans and the teams involved. It did restrict scheduling to a certain extent for everybody, Purdue included, but this was Indiana's doing, and you are Indiana because of Indiana. Thinking you're bigger than Indiana is probably bad business. Just like building teams with these East Coast mercenaries while Purdue passed you by with Indiana players and Indiana-type players was bad business.
Thinking you're bigger than Indiana and thinking beyond the state that has made you what you are, and ending an event that was a good thing for the fans who've made you what you are, that just sounds like bad business to me.
Notre Dame, you want out? I get that. Your fans don't live here and you play in the ACC for most of your history you barely recruited Indiana. I get that.
But Indiana wanting out of this, that I don't get. It's great that you got that home-and-home adidas invitational with Kansas, but Kansas plays basketball games in November and the first week of December also.
Gonna be interesting to see what Purdue can get lined up to replace this. I know they're trying to do something meaningful.
• Don't zone Purdue. Don't zone teams with smart kids who can shoot and big kids who can pass.
Purdue never gets zoned, because they've been shredding zones for years now when they do see them.
But zoned Purdue and Purdue was great against it, another look Purdue would see before long. Purdue responded to it like a team that saw zone every game.
• The thing that's neat about the Crossroads Classic is it's one of the few events left where we sit on the floor and can hear the coaches and stuff. Those last seconds of the first half, Matt Painter was coaching that situation like the season depended on it. Can't hurt to send that sort of message that every possession really matters.
• Big game for Caleb Furst and Mason Gillis playing their roles offensively just sort of being available at the basket. Both of them are doing nice jobs as cutters and catching and either finishing or getting fouled. They're making Trevion Williams, Zach Edey and Jaden Ivey better that way.
• I do think Purdue probably got some of its momentum back, and this was the last chance to really do that, because these next couple games don't matter in that sense.
• Jaden Ivey probably isn't going to shoot 46 percent from three for the season, but it's mid-December and he's shooting 46 percent. He might have made a few more million today.
• This is exactly what Purdue needs from Trevion Williams and Zach Edey. They shot like 80 percent, made good decisions and good passes, dominated the glass and played OK D. They were both physical and real presences.
Williams gave them all that right from the jump, the area where Edey had struggled a little bit lately, to start games at least.
That move was a no-brainer, IMO. An easy "fix."
Thanks for reading, everybody, and have a good night.
