Painter in Sweet Sixteen games - a brief history

northside100 · Mar 28, 2022

Lots of wringing of hands here over Matt Painter's 1-5 record in Sweet Sixteen games. Understandable after an incredibly disappointing loss to St. Peters, but easy to be taken out of context without realizing that this is the first time that a Painter team has suffered an upset loss in the Sweet Sixteen. In all the other losses Purdue was either a 4 or 5 seed playing a 1 seed or suffered a major injury to a key player. Just the facts here. I'm not saying the MP is a good NCAAT coach, just that the 50k foot view that he's a bad one isn't supported by the data. What do you think?

Half of the six Sweet Sixteen games saw Purdue as a four or a five seed
- In those three games, Purdue played and lost to a 1 seed three times
- Of those opponents, Duke won the National Championship, UConn advanced to the FF and KU beat Purdue in a home game in Kansas City
Two of the six Sweet Sixteen games (including one game against a 1 seed) involved Purdue missing a major player due to injury
- Hummel injured in the 2010 season
- Haas knocked out in the first round in 2018
Purdue is 1-1 in the Sweet Sixteen under Painter when they aren't facing a 1 seed and haven't suffered a major injury to a key player

2022 loss, you know this
2019 win as a 3 seed as Cline goes nuts to upset 2 seed Tennessee in the SS before losing heartbreaker to National Champion UVA in OT in the EE
2018 loss, finally Purdue at a 2 seed but Haas goes down in the first round, lose to 3 seed Tx Tech after Neubert guarantees victory had Haas been playing
2017 loss, 4 seed loses to 1 seed Kansas in a home game for KU in Kansas City
2010 loss, 4 seed playing without Hummel loses to 1 seed and eventual National Champion Duke
2009 loss, 5 seed loses to 1 seed UConn, who goes on to the FF

BretRobert1 · Mar 28, 2022