When Purdue and Indiana lined up for the opening tip-off Saturday night, looking down on the court, you could see a stark contrast then and there just between the two teams' bodies.
Compared to the size and length IU put on the floor compared to that of Purdue - and you can throw athleticism in there, as the rest of the game would show - there was a distinct divide, a talent gap if you want to call it that.
I know this season in which the Boilermakers have pretty much been just good enough to not be bad has turned into something of a referendum on recruiting among fans, and that's fine.
I understand the center position has been, at best, a work in progress, but otherwise, Purdue has good players. But they're just that, good.
Purdue is a team with good players and a great one coming off a year-and-a-half worth of knee rehab. Some of Purdue's best players are parts on really good teams, not leading men.
I mean no disrespect by that, but it is what is.
Purdue is in a rebuilding year of sorts, a bridge season between the elite talents of the past - the Boilermakers essentially had two Final Four-capable teams built, but you know what happened - and the very good recruits coming in. That Robbie Hummel is part of it is merely how fate made it.
At Indiana, the Hoosiers are at the peak of a building process, or at least approaching it. They've got talent, they've got experience now and they've got the motivation that comes with three years of getting kicked.
These programs right now are two ships passing in the night so to speak.
So for all those making tonight's game into a "Purdue will never beat Indiana again," thing, I can assure you there are great games in this series to come from here on out.
But for this season, Indiana is clearly better. It certainly was Saturday night.
It has more shot-makers, a Lottery pick big man who changes everything when he's on the floor and the sort of length and athleticism that gave point guard Lewis Jackson fits tonight and had Purdue across the board missing shots badly at the rim when they'd already done the hard part just in getting there.
Eye-ball the two teams superficially and you see one guy on Purdue's roster who can match IU's combination of size, length and athleticism, and that's Kelsey Barlow. Maybe Jacob Lawson, too, but he's not ready for games like this.
There is a talent gap.
Yes, Purdue had a chance to win at the end. But it had no business whatsoever being in that position, encapsulating its entire season, by switching from being bad offensively in the first half to being bad defensively in the second.
Whether you can do it without dry-heaving or not, you have to give Indiana a lot of credit for its play tonight.
While it did give Purdue some opportunities to steal the game at the end, the Hoosiers did everything they needed to do to win.
Jordan Hulls made some tough shots. Will Sheehey's block was the game's biggest play. Remy Abell - who you may or may not have even heard of prior to tonight - made a gigantic three.
Indiana made its free throws on the road in as hostile an environment as you'll find.
And Victor Oladipo did to Purdue what Evan Turner used to do to Purdue, exposing once again this Boilermaker team's inability to contain the dribble.
You know, for all the talk about Cody Zeller, that sophomore tandem of Oladipo and Sheehey has really helped transform that team, proof once again the inexactness of the science of recruiting rankings. Purdue fans might have made fun of that class when IU signed it.
Purdue needs an Oladipo. That kid gets to the basket not only because he's quick and athletic enough to do so, but because he really, really wants too. The passion and energy he plays with are things we're supposed to be seeing out of Purdue, but only do in spurts and only out of certain guys
Indiana just has more talent right now. While Purdue has some great recruits coming in and some good young players in the program now, that fact isn't going to change in years to come.
But talent is part of it. Only part of it.
Indiana had more of it, but Purdue's deficiencies factored heavily into this game as well.
The shooting isn't there. Early in the season, it was evident that Purdue was going to be in deep you-know-what if threes stopped falling.
Guess what's happening now.
And it's no secret that the Boilermakers lack effective size.
But Purdue was only going to be as good this season as its grit - its ability to defend, rebound, etc.
By that measure, this group is barely recognizable when held up to the standards for toughness (in all its forms) set by past teams.
That Indiana was able to turn a four-point game into a 17-point win in barely more than two minutes was just unthinkable.
This group would seem to have a much different personality and composition than past teams.
What this team needed to do to win like past teams did is not universally inherent in this roster like it's been in some of its predecessors.
Matt Painter has strived to make this team like those past teams, but it hasn't worked.
And if it hasn't happened by now ...
Purdue should be playing its best basketball of the season right now.
Hummel and Lewis Jackson have made progress with their knee and back problems, respectively, of late and have gotten through practices.
But as a team, Purdue has regressed from where it was just a couple weeks ago and can no longer expect to win at home.
After winning 26 straight in Mackey Arena, the Boilermakers have now lost three out of four.
But if there's anything this season has shown us, it's that this Purdue team isn't like past Purdue teams.
The question is why not.
Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2012. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited. E-mail GoldandBlack.com/Boilers, Inc.
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Copyright, Boilers, Inc. 2012. All Rights Reserved. Reproducing or using editorial or graphical content, in whole or in part, without permission, is strictly prohibited. E-mail GoldandBlack.com/Boilers, Inc.
Check out GoldandBlack.com on
