DETROIT — Make no mistake here: There was a void left by Isaac Haas' loss, a significant one and Vincent Edwards filled it on Sunday by being what Vincent Edwards has always been for Purdue — everything.
And because of it, because Edwards once again ear-marked some of his best basketball for March, Purdue's 2-0 against Butler this season and on to the Sweet 16 for the second time in as many seasons.
In a game that couldn't help but remind ever so slightly of the Texas A&M slugfest in Spokane a while back — Purdue reached the Round of 16 despite losing Robbie Hummel a few weeks prior — the Boilermakers needed Vincent Edwards to become the post-scoring threat it lost without Haas and clearly needed during a first-half lull. He did it.
When Purdue needed Edwards to makes threes, he did it.
When it needed him to beat people off the dribble to score, he did it.
When it needed important or impactful rebounds at either end, he did it.
When he needed to erase his own blunder by making the game's defining defensive play, he did it.
When Purdue needed him to not foul ... d'oh!
In the second half, he didn't.
It was a signature performance from the Boilermaker senior, whose classmates were right there with him. Dakota Mathias' three was to this game what Chris Kramer's driving overtime game-winner was to that A&M game years ago, and P.J. Thompson couldn't have come up bigger, save for that one foul shot.
But more so than any time this season, Purdue was deep, impactfully deep, if impactfully is a word. If it's not, it should be.
Nothing about Grady Eifert's mud-wrestler's sort of game is pretty, but he was pretty big-time for Purdue today. Matt Haarms was great. Ryan Cline made a huge three. Jacquil Taylor seemed to do some positive things in what couldn't have been an easy situation after he's been practically idle all season. Nojel Eastern gave Purdue good minutes again, it seemed like.
Understand that not only did these guys play well, but they did so under circumstances in which Purdue needed them more than ever. That, I believe, is the very definition of "clutch."
Haas' absence was one thing; Vincent Edwards' foul trouble was a jackpot for a frontcourt where 4s are now 5s and 5s are now 4s and Edwards is Purdue's 30-plus-minute 4.
It took everyone. It took everyone to overcome Haas' loss, to overcome Vincent Edwards' foul trouble, and to overcome a 24-percent shooting night from an All-American, to overcome Butler playing well. Kelan Martin is a monster.
It took everyone to get Purdue to the Sweet 16 36 hours after a huge piece of its puzzle was lost for the season, most likely.
Purdue has a great chance now, I'd think, to keep winning, and even if it doesn't, I don't know if you'd call this season a success, but I'd have a hell of a time calling 30 wins and another second-weekend NCAA Tournament berth, in the face of a key injury, anything but.
And because of it, because Edwards once again ear-marked some of his best basketball for March, Purdue's 2-0 against Butler this season and on to the Sweet 16 for the second time in as many seasons.
In a game that couldn't help but remind ever so slightly of the Texas A&M slugfest in Spokane a while back — Purdue reached the Round of 16 despite losing Robbie Hummel a few weeks prior — the Boilermakers needed Vincent Edwards to become the post-scoring threat it lost without Haas and clearly needed during a first-half lull. He did it.
When Purdue needed Edwards to makes threes, he did it.
When it needed him to beat people off the dribble to score, he did it.
When it needed important or impactful rebounds at either end, he did it.
When he needed to erase his own blunder by making the game's defining defensive play, he did it.
When Purdue needed him to not foul ... d'oh!
In the second half, he didn't.
It was a signature performance from the Boilermaker senior, whose classmates were right there with him. Dakota Mathias' three was to this game what Chris Kramer's driving overtime game-winner was to that A&M game years ago, and P.J. Thompson couldn't have come up bigger, save for that one foul shot.
But more so than any time this season, Purdue was deep, impactfully deep, if impactfully is a word. If it's not, it should be.
Nothing about Grady Eifert's mud-wrestler's sort of game is pretty, but he was pretty big-time for Purdue today. Matt Haarms was great. Ryan Cline made a huge three. Jacquil Taylor seemed to do some positive things in what couldn't have been an easy situation after he's been practically idle all season. Nojel Eastern gave Purdue good minutes again, it seemed like.
Understand that not only did these guys play well, but they did so under circumstances in which Purdue needed them more than ever. That, I believe, is the very definition of "clutch."
Haas' absence was one thing; Vincent Edwards' foul trouble was a jackpot for a frontcourt where 4s are now 5s and 5s are now 4s and Edwards is Purdue's 30-plus-minute 4.
It took everyone. It took everyone to overcome Haas' loss, to overcome Vincent Edwards' foul trouble, and to overcome a 24-percent shooting night from an All-American, to overcome Butler playing well. Kelan Martin is a monster.
It took everyone to get Purdue to the Sweet 16 36 hours after a huge piece of its puzzle was lost for the season, most likely.
Purdue has a great chance now, I'd think, to keep winning, and even if it doesn't, I don't know if you'd call this season a success, but I'd have a hell of a time calling 30 wins and another second-weekend NCAA Tournament berth, in the face of a key injury, anything but.
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