If ever there was the most Purdue post, it might be this OP. That sounds like years of Purdue fandom just looking to manage expectations while awaiting the inevitable heartbreak. I’m just as guilty of this as anybody at times. I hope the team has more confidence than some of their fans.
Some reasons I still believe this team is, in fact, different:
1. 3 point percentage is vastly improved and is still good in recent games
2. They have played some games recently that we’re not necessarily their best basketball and still won overcoming things that might have doomed them last year (turnovers, poor free throw shooting)
3. Lance is better than Jenkins. No disrespect to Dave, but Lance is a starter as opposed to a role player meaning the transfer came in and the coaching staff felt he was an upgrade at that position. He seems to fit right in and appears to have the same hunger to win without the emotional scars that the guys who lost to FDU have.
4. Gillis. He’s been great off the bench. It just works. By this point last season he was not shooting the 3 well. He still is this season and just showed it against Minnesota on Thursday.
5. These are still college kids. Focus may not be locked in at all times during the regular season. When you look at the non-conference schedule and the murderer’s row that they beat and then you get into some Big Ten slugfests it might wear you down a little and you might not get up for every opponent like they get up for you. Being #1 or 2 and leading the conference means always having a target on your back and taking every team’s best shot because you might be the win that gets them in the NCAAT field. That’s got to be tough.
6. Free throws are a bit concerning as of late, but those can be practiced and improved. Like a golfer with the yips putting. Just have to find that stroke again.
7. They seem to have more of an “edge” this year. Edey’s stare downs, his six shooters, Braden flexing, Lance telling Iowa to be quiet, etc. It’s good to see maybe for once they’re not just a group of “nice boys”.
8. They are taking care of business. They’ve already avenged several losses from last season already. The biggest revenge will be for the 16 seed that gets fed to them.
9. If, as the OP hypothesizes, it is just a down year for all of college basketball outside of UConn and Purdue, then I expect to see them in the Finals and I like the way Purdue matches up.
I love this team! Keep the faith, fellow Boilers.
