INDIANAPOLIS — A few final musings from Purdue's 75-66 Big Ten Tournament title game loss to Iowa, because I know how you like musings.
• The only thing that matters from this game is turnovers. That first-half stretch was Purdue's chance to take control of a game in which it defended well enough to make things really hard on Iowa if it had to play from behind.
If you have just half those possessions, you probably have eight more points and Iowa probably has eight fewer points and you can do the math.
• The four missed one-and-ones were huge, too, but not as huge as the turnovers, because turnovers would seem more controllable and Purdue's just not a particularly good foul shooting team. But like the turnovers, the free throw thing seems to snowball on Purdue. If it's not one player missing a bunch, it's a team-wide deal, as it was today. I think the four missed one-and-ones came from four different players.
• Purdue's been fine defensively the past three games. Cut the turnovers in half and you just held Iowa under 70 and won by eight to 10 points.
They did an OK job on Keegan Murray and it took big shots from non-scorers Payton Sandfort and Connor McCaffery to beat 'em.
I do think Purdue's in a decent spot defensively headed into the NCAA Tournament if it keeps the turnovers in check.
• It didn't matter in the end, but had Purdue won a close game today, Isaiah Thompson's and Brandon Newman's hustle to break up a couple of first-half Iowa run-outs off turnovers would have been really significant.
• The centers were obviously productive, totaling 25 and 25, but this was a matchup where Purdue needed 13-of-19 shooting from them, not 9-of-19. That probably doesn't jump off the page at people, but when Iowa is playing small and Purdue is playing big, whoever is most efficient with its matchup advantages is gonna have a leg up, and Purdue's advantages come in much higher-percentage situations.
• With Sasha Stefanovic, again, as he does, so goes Purdue, and he didn't have it tonight from long range.
I don't know if he is right. He says his hand is fine, but of course he does.
I mean, two of the three games prior to Iowa, he was 3-of-6 and 2-of-5 so it's not like he's in the tank.
If you're screaming for Brandon Newman to play more because Stefanovic didn't shoot well, I should point out he picked up four fouls in 10-and-a-half minutes today.
• I wish I had data on Purdue's one-and-one percentage this season.
That's one of the most deflating plays in basketball if you ask me. You do something right to get a chance to score, and then it's the exact same as a turnover if you miss.
Thanks for reading, everybody, and have a good night
• The only thing that matters from this game is turnovers. That first-half stretch was Purdue's chance to take control of a game in which it defended well enough to make things really hard on Iowa if it had to play from behind.
If you have just half those possessions, you probably have eight more points and Iowa probably has eight fewer points and you can do the math.
• The four missed one-and-ones were huge, too, but not as huge as the turnovers, because turnovers would seem more controllable and Purdue's just not a particularly good foul shooting team. But like the turnovers, the free throw thing seems to snowball on Purdue. If it's not one player missing a bunch, it's a team-wide deal, as it was today. I think the four missed one-and-ones came from four different players.
• Purdue's been fine defensively the past three games. Cut the turnovers in half and you just held Iowa under 70 and won by eight to 10 points.
They did an OK job on Keegan Murray and it took big shots from non-scorers Payton Sandfort and Connor McCaffery to beat 'em.
I do think Purdue's in a decent spot defensively headed into the NCAA Tournament if it keeps the turnovers in check.
• It didn't matter in the end, but had Purdue won a close game today, Isaiah Thompson's and Brandon Newman's hustle to break up a couple of first-half Iowa run-outs off turnovers would have been really significant.
• The centers were obviously productive, totaling 25 and 25, but this was a matchup where Purdue needed 13-of-19 shooting from them, not 9-of-19. That probably doesn't jump off the page at people, but when Iowa is playing small and Purdue is playing big, whoever is most efficient with its matchup advantages is gonna have a leg up, and Purdue's advantages come in much higher-percentage situations.
• With Sasha Stefanovic, again, as he does, so goes Purdue, and he didn't have it tonight from long range.
I don't know if he is right. He says his hand is fine, but of course he does.
I mean, two of the three games prior to Iowa, he was 3-of-6 and 2-of-5 so it's not like he's in the tank.
If you're screaming for Brandon Newman to play more because Stefanovic didn't shoot well, I should point out he picked up four fouls in 10-and-a-half minutes today.
• I wish I had data on Purdue's one-and-one percentage this season.
That's one of the most deflating plays in basketball if you ask me. You do something right to get a chance to score, and then it's the exact same as a turnover if you miss.
Thanks for reading, everybody, and have a good night
