Purdue didn't lose to Michigan State on Sunday. Rather that game against the seventh-ranked Spartans was lost early Friday morning on the sidewalks of State Street in Chauncey Hill.
The Boilermakers were rolling prior to the events that transpired there. But the one-game loss of D.J. Byrd and permanent loss of Kelsey Barlow just threw a bucket of cold, cold water on a team that was heating up leading into a gigantic game with a Michigan State team set up to become that elusive marquee win.
It wasn't just about losing players. It seemed to be more about losing momentum.
You could sense it in the minutes leading up to tip-off even. Whether it was the empty rows in the student section or the absent buzz of anticipation from the crowd in general, something was missing in Mackey Arena Sunday and it wasn't just Kelsey Barlow.
Purdue mustered enough life to match the superior Spartans through the first 20 minutes, but may have played over its head in doing so. Even with the Boilermakers holding a three-point lead at half, it felt like a deficit, particularly knowing that Draymond Green hadn't yet had his say on the outcome.
You wondered if Purdue could sustain it. That question was quickly answered in the second half.
It was then that Purdue's problem was no longer just getting out-muscled for rebounds or Derrick Nix literally scoring through Boilermaker big men.
Or Michigan State's size wigging out some of Purdue's better scorers when they had the ball around the basket. The problem all of a sudden became scoring, which Purdue did at a surprisingly effective clip in the first half, thanks in part to a big-time half from Hummel.
Michigan State's superiority physically and with its talent just flat-out took over and Purdue could no longer keep up.
What difference could Byrd have made?
Hard to say and hardly worth considering. But given the way he'd been shooting the ball, his presence would have been welcomed. He would not have prevented Purdue from getting owned on the boards or dominated on the interior. He might have been able to help the Boilermakers outscore Michigan State; it's hard to envision him being able to help the Boilermakers stop Michigan State.
As I said, though, it's hardly worth discussing, because it's a what-if situation.
As for Barlow, there was still plenty to talk about.
Ryne Smith actually came out and said what a whole bunch of people around Purdue's basketball program and inside its locker room are thinking right now when he used the term 'addition by subtraction' in relation to Barlow's dismissal.
Good for him, by the way for being honest. We too often bitch and moan about people not being honest around the media. I know I do, at least. Well, we shouldn't crucify them when they are.
Anyway, Painter was then asked about Smith's comment.
"The one thing you try to do is educate your players," Painter said. "I don't want to give Ryne Smith his opinion. If that's how he feels, he sees some things I don't. As a coach or a parent, you're looking through your own glasses and you move forward."
Purdue will move forward.
It's not as talented a team minus Barlow.
But there's going to be a benefit to this. Whether that benefit is enough to overcome the talent dip, I don't know, but we're going to find out.
Purdue was short-handed Sunday and will be from here on out, but short-handed or not, the Michigan State game shined another light on some of this team's deficiencies. Inside, Purdue just can't match up against big, physical frontcourts, if they're good at least.
Michigan State's frontcourt is good.
Purdue should be bigger and more physical next season with the influx of its freshman class and the natural progression of time for those returning. Across the board, Purdue will have better bodies next season. It will look more like Michigan State.
But right now, it's lacking, and with the exception of a handful of games this season, it has been most of the season.
That brings to mind this thought: Purdue is 17-10 right now and holds what's probably a better-than-50/50 chance at making the NCAA Tournament.
Now that the Barlow thing has happened, look at all this team has dealt with this season. It lost two pros; it brought back a star with two bad knees and asked him to carry the team; its point guard's been hurt most of the season; its big men haven't progressed as hoped; and now Barlow is gone.
That's a hell of a lot.
The angry amongst you out there may not want to hear it, but if this team makes the NCAA Tournament, that's pretty damn good. Purdue plays in what's thought to be the best league in college basketball and in position to go .500. It could be a lot worse. A lot worse.
I think sometimes people seem to talk about this team like it's won eight games this season, focusing on the losses.
Well, given the pile of you-know-what - a partial list, by the way - that's been dealt with, the wins are looking pretty good, even if there haven't been as many of them as hoped.
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
This post was edited on 2/19 8:48 PM by Brian_GoldandBlack.com
This post was edited on 2/19 10:08 PM by Alan_GoldandBlack.com
