This was a tough one.
Both teams feelt dead even all night long. Michigan State got a late push, Purdue had two chances to tie or win at the end, and didn’t pull it off.
Damn good classic Big Ten basketball game.
This will go easier if I dive right into the bullet points:
- First off, congrats to Braden for getting to 1,000 career assists. A tremendous accomplishment done by only four other players in history. I doubt we will see such sustained excellence across four years at one school ever again.
- This one started off like Purdue would win in a walk, but after the first five minutes or show the game shifted. Michigan State got a lot more physical and it got to Purdue. Their athleticism matched our toughness and it turned into a usual Purdue-Michigan State game with grabbing, rebounding, hard fouls, and everything else.
- I don’t mind going for three and the win ont he final possession, but the previous one where TKR got a good look at the rim was better. This play felt very disjointed and the athleticism of their guards won out. Braden was SMOTHERED there even if he takes another dribble. No way that was going down.
- Very up and down game for Daniel Jacobsen. Had a few moments where he flashed that great potential, but him running that second four minute stretch really hurt the offense and might have changed the game. Got cooked on defense a few times, too.
- Purdue could not stop fouling jump shooters tonight. Michigan State wasn’t getting tot he line by dominating the post. Purdue was fouling too many jump shooters. We three fouls (I think) on three-point attempt.
- I am liking what I am seeing right now from Jack Benter and Omer Mayer.
- The defense by Mayer and Cluff on Michigan State’s penultimate possession was some of the best defense we have seen all year.
Can I say something for a moment?
I think Purdue plays better away from home.
Yes, baffling, I know, but aside from the IU game Purdue has been exceptional ont he road. It’s also done really well in neutral venues. It’s best win was at
Nebraska in its biggest road game of the year. The four largest home games, all against top 15 NET teams, however, have been duds.
Tonight was basically a coin flip. That’s how it felt the entire second half. The Illinois, Iowa State and Michigan games, however? Purdue got pushed around in all three. It is just weird that this team has lost four times on Keady Court. If you had told me that going into the season I would have asked who was hurt.
Away from home though, Purdue feels like a different team. Gicarri shoots better. Cox shoots better. With them hitting it opens everything else up. It just… I don’t know. There is something intangible there that this particular team does better away from home. It’s so weird.
It does give me some confidence for the NCAAs. Regardless of what happens we will have a favorable first round matchup, then coach Painter has done a tremendous job in second round games. We’ll see how the next two games go away from home.
Oscar Cluff, Brden Smith, and Trey Kaufman-Renn
Tom Izzo
