Just some quick thoughts after watching this game I wanted to post. If you agree that's great and if not I welcome constructive criticism.
1. We won maybe 15 minutes of that game. I thought we may push it to 20 but the last 7 were brutal. The issue is when we lost, we lost very badly.
2. This is why a post entry team who relies on bigs doesn't win the ncaa tourney. The calls and game flow just do not support this type of style. We can win a lot of games during the regular season but in the tourney it isn't going to happen. Biggie was somewhat foul hunting on a few possessions and instead of getting the call a turnover happened.
3. Guards do win you championships. History shows this and the way the game is called now it is even more difficult for a post entry team to advance all the way. We have a single guard who can actually drive to the basket in Carsen but because he is our only one, he doesn't get the calls other teams do. Kansas has quite a few guards who can put pressure on our own guards and drive to the paint and we saw them get the calls. This is nothing against the refs but just the way the game is called now and we would have seen the exact same against any other guard heavy team. When Jackson or the bigs drove or had the ball inside it resulted in quite a few strips and turnovers for them and same on the other end for us when our bigs got the ball.
4. The double team in the post first half was very poorly executed and all around poor play that let them back in the game. Not to mention their bigs weren't a scoring threat at all at that point nor have they ever been dominant inside.
5. This was a home game for them. Their crowd was ready to go on every single made basket by them or call against their team. It was impressive to say the least and I do think it gave Kansas confidence throughout the game.
6. Guard pressure. They set plenty of moving screens but we weren't aggressive in defending them so we made it impossible for the refs to make the call. Part of it is our overall athleticism and part just bad defense. Switch sides and Purdue did what I really hate. We made PJ and Spike at times bring the ball up court against very athletic defensive guards who could put the pressure on. How many times did we see the ball picked up early due to pressure or a bad pass? This disrupts the entire offense and resulted in a 2nd or 3rd pass TO because we were out of position. Yes your PG should be able to bring the ball up court but I never understand the reasoning behind making it more difficult for them and not having a help outlet even if it's to give the ball right back to them.
7. Our post entry feeds stuck too long. We tried to hit a home run off each entry pass instead of passing it out and reversing the ball for a better entry pass. We literally negated Vince on our own this way. We got some great looks in the first half but in the second half when it was still close we forced it into Biggie who was not getting the calls. We needed to adjust to the way the game was being called and we didn't.
8. Kansas gave us a way to win this game but we didn't take it. We hit some big shots early on but also made some very mental defensive errors combined with a few very bad bounces that went their way.
9. We played conservatively with fouls. Hindsight it obviously didn't work. Painter is a cerebral coach and if done properly your players will play smart. Not every poor decision can be eliminated because that is impossible but sometimes I wish he would give them a chance to prove what they have learned. We did bench Vince after 2 fouls and once lost we never got the lead back. Sometimes I wish he would take a chance with the guys who pick up a 2nd or 3rd foul late in the 1st half/ early in the 2nd. My personal philosophy which is corny and sounds like life is that you cannot get back the minutes your guys sit on the bench. Take advantage of their time on the floor as early as possible and make the adjustments at the end of the game. Were we to lose Vince with 10 left in the game(crazy scenario) then we already knew that Haas down low and Biggie had its advantages. Mathias or Cline go out with fouls, we know CE is the only one with the physical tools to actually stay with their guards and put pressure on them defensively.
10. Painter hasn't gotten there yet but I do think he is so losing this game isn't on him by any means. Kansas played the better game overall and obviously deserved to win. I actually hope we strike out on getting another big man just so we can start playing more to the game other teams are playing come tourney time.
11 finally because it's my favorite number. Boy is it sad for it to most likely be Biggie's last game in a Purdue uniform. He deserves every award he wins and his work ethic will for sure be passed on. He is a legend as a Boilermaker and I have no doubts he will make us proud in the NBA or whatever he decides to do in his life. Next year we most likely won't have him but I think our balance will be unequaled across the rest of the NCAA. I really do think this with the Sr class we will have along with the underclassmen and freshmen coming in. I just hope we can build off the success we had this year and the adjustments we are making roster wise with the players we currently have and who are coming in.
It's a GREAT time to be a PURDUE fan!!!
1. We won maybe 15 minutes of that game. I thought we may push it to 20 but the last 7 were brutal. The issue is when we lost, we lost very badly.
2. This is why a post entry team who relies on bigs doesn't win the ncaa tourney. The calls and game flow just do not support this type of style. We can win a lot of games during the regular season but in the tourney it isn't going to happen. Biggie was somewhat foul hunting on a few possessions and instead of getting the call a turnover happened.
3. Guards do win you championships. History shows this and the way the game is called now it is even more difficult for a post entry team to advance all the way. We have a single guard who can actually drive to the basket in Carsen but because he is our only one, he doesn't get the calls other teams do. Kansas has quite a few guards who can put pressure on our own guards and drive to the paint and we saw them get the calls. This is nothing against the refs but just the way the game is called now and we would have seen the exact same against any other guard heavy team. When Jackson or the bigs drove or had the ball inside it resulted in quite a few strips and turnovers for them and same on the other end for us when our bigs got the ball.
4. The double team in the post first half was very poorly executed and all around poor play that let them back in the game. Not to mention their bigs weren't a scoring threat at all at that point nor have they ever been dominant inside.
5. This was a home game for them. Their crowd was ready to go on every single made basket by them or call against their team. It was impressive to say the least and I do think it gave Kansas confidence throughout the game.
6. Guard pressure. They set plenty of moving screens but we weren't aggressive in defending them so we made it impossible for the refs to make the call. Part of it is our overall athleticism and part just bad defense. Switch sides and Purdue did what I really hate. We made PJ and Spike at times bring the ball up court against very athletic defensive guards who could put the pressure on. How many times did we see the ball picked up early due to pressure or a bad pass? This disrupts the entire offense and resulted in a 2nd or 3rd pass TO because we were out of position. Yes your PG should be able to bring the ball up court but I never understand the reasoning behind making it more difficult for them and not having a help outlet even if it's to give the ball right back to them.
7. Our post entry feeds stuck too long. We tried to hit a home run off each entry pass instead of passing it out and reversing the ball for a better entry pass. We literally negated Vince on our own this way. We got some great looks in the first half but in the second half when it was still close we forced it into Biggie who was not getting the calls. We needed to adjust to the way the game was being called and we didn't.
8. Kansas gave us a way to win this game but we didn't take it. We hit some big shots early on but also made some very mental defensive errors combined with a few very bad bounces that went their way.
9. We played conservatively with fouls. Hindsight it obviously didn't work. Painter is a cerebral coach and if done properly your players will play smart. Not every poor decision can be eliminated because that is impossible but sometimes I wish he would give them a chance to prove what they have learned. We did bench Vince after 2 fouls and once lost we never got the lead back. Sometimes I wish he would take a chance with the guys who pick up a 2nd or 3rd foul late in the 1st half/ early in the 2nd. My personal philosophy which is corny and sounds like life is that you cannot get back the minutes your guys sit on the bench. Take advantage of their time on the floor as early as possible and make the adjustments at the end of the game. Were we to lose Vince with 10 left in the game(crazy scenario) then we already knew that Haas down low and Biggie had its advantages. Mathias or Cline go out with fouls, we know CE is the only one with the physical tools to actually stay with their guards and put pressure on them defensively.
10. Painter hasn't gotten there yet but I do think he is so losing this game isn't on him by any means. Kansas played the better game overall and obviously deserved to win. I actually hope we strike out on getting another big man just so we can start playing more to the game other teams are playing come tourney time.
11 finally because it's my favorite number. Boy is it sad for it to most likely be Biggie's last game in a Purdue uniform. He deserves every award he wins and his work ethic will for sure be passed on. He is a legend as a Boilermaker and I have no doubts he will make us proud in the NBA or whatever he decides to do in his life. Next year we most likely won't have him but I think our balance will be unequaled across the rest of the NCAA. I really do think this with the Sr class we will have along with the underclassmen and freshmen coming in. I just hope we can build off the success we had this year and the adjustments we are making roster wise with the players we currently have and who are coming in.
It's a GREAT time to be a PURDUE fan!!!
