A few final musings from Purdue's 84-68 win over Illinois, because I know how you like musings.
• The stuff that put Illinois up at halftime was never sustainable. Alfonso Plummer made two circus shots, Purdue didn't get a loose ball and then Purdue botched the final six seconds. That wasn't Illinois being better than Purdue as much as it was just a weird stretch.
• Just want to underscore my big picture point that this Illinois team is as much a semi-pro team as a college team. Every starter qualifies as an adult at this point. For Purdue to sweep these guys is a big, big deal.
• Purdue's gotten no help whatsoever from the officials the past two games, and that makes both wins all the more impressive. Illinois was holding Purdue's guards quite a bit, and Kofi Cockburn got away with two fouls to start the second half that would have knocked him out of the game. Hell, if Zach Edey wildly throws his elbows the way Cockburn did on his very first offensive touch, you think they're not calling that?
Anyway ... doesn't matter now.
• Forget Kofi Cockburn and Andre Curbelo for a second, the guy Purdue had to stop IMO was Trent Frazier. Done. Great job by Purdue there.
• On that three Andre Curbelo made from the corner, Matt Painter looked like he was pretty heated at the refs. No idea why. Anyone know?
• Purdue's in great position now to win at least a share of the Big Ten title, but it's unfortunate for the Boilermakers that Illinois and Wisconsin don't play again. Nevertheless, they won't need help if they keep playing like this.
• Root, root, root for Gonzaga, because the last thing anyone should want right now is for Purdue to be No. 1 again. That thing's cursed.
• Unsung hero tonight: Caleb Furst. Big points in the first half when Purdue wasn't making shots, and clutch minutes at center again. You're seeing some real competitiveness coming out of him in games like this, as well.
• Purdue did a really nice job with some of its dribble handoff stuff throwing a lot of stuff at Kofi Cockburn and keeping him off balance protecting the rim. Stefanovic and Eric Hunter both got bunnies off those staggered curls that might have been new for this game. I don't remember seeing that, but my memory sucks anyway, so ...
• Jaden Ivey was 8-12 on two-point shots. All mid-range stuff or contested stuff at the rim. That's really impressive, and it's pretty remarkable how physical he's been at finishing through contact the past several games, almost as if he's getting stronger on the fly.
Enjoy him while you can, guys. He's special. It may be a long time before you see another one like this at Purdue.
• Congrats to Robbie Hummel for the demons of terrible things happening to Purdue when he's present being exorcised tonight.
Thanks for reading, everybody, and have a good, err, morning.
• The stuff that put Illinois up at halftime was never sustainable. Alfonso Plummer made two circus shots, Purdue didn't get a loose ball and then Purdue botched the final six seconds. That wasn't Illinois being better than Purdue as much as it was just a weird stretch.
• Just want to underscore my big picture point that this Illinois team is as much a semi-pro team as a college team. Every starter qualifies as an adult at this point. For Purdue to sweep these guys is a big, big deal.
• Purdue's gotten no help whatsoever from the officials the past two games, and that makes both wins all the more impressive. Illinois was holding Purdue's guards quite a bit, and Kofi Cockburn got away with two fouls to start the second half that would have knocked him out of the game. Hell, if Zach Edey wildly throws his elbows the way Cockburn did on his very first offensive touch, you think they're not calling that?
Anyway ... doesn't matter now.
• Forget Kofi Cockburn and Andre Curbelo for a second, the guy Purdue had to stop IMO was Trent Frazier. Done. Great job by Purdue there.
• On that three Andre Curbelo made from the corner, Matt Painter looked like he was pretty heated at the refs. No idea why. Anyone know?
• Purdue's in great position now to win at least a share of the Big Ten title, but it's unfortunate for the Boilermakers that Illinois and Wisconsin don't play again. Nevertheless, they won't need help if they keep playing like this.
• Root, root, root for Gonzaga, because the last thing anyone should want right now is for Purdue to be No. 1 again. That thing's cursed.
• Unsung hero tonight: Caleb Furst. Big points in the first half when Purdue wasn't making shots, and clutch minutes at center again. You're seeing some real competitiveness coming out of him in games like this, as well.
• Purdue did a really nice job with some of its dribble handoff stuff throwing a lot of stuff at Kofi Cockburn and keeping him off balance protecting the rim. Stefanovic and Eric Hunter both got bunnies off those staggered curls that might have been new for this game. I don't remember seeing that, but my memory sucks anyway, so ...
• Jaden Ivey was 8-12 on two-point shots. All mid-range stuff or contested stuff at the rim. That's really impressive, and it's pretty remarkable how physical he's been at finishing through contact the past several games, almost as if he's getting stronger on the fly.
Enjoy him while you can, guys. He's special. It may be a long time before you see another one like this at Purdue.
• Congrats to Robbie Hummel for the demons of terrible things happening to Purdue when he's present being exorcised tonight.
Thanks for reading, everybody, and have a good, err, morning.
