There was no letdown for Purdue tonight after the huge win at Alabama on Thursday. A good Akron team came to West Lafayette with a MAC title to their credit and consecutive NCAA Tournament appearances
on their resume. They were able to make a game of it for a bit, but in the end Purdue pulled away for a comfortable 18 point win.
T-Mill’s Thoughts
- Tonight was all a out balance. Five guys were in double figures and Omer Mayer gave us a preview of what looks to be a very promising career. Purdue is going to be real hard to beat with this kind of balance.
- The difference Oscar Cluff makes in the pain this year is tremendous. This was his best game as a Boilermaker thus far. The Zips could not keep him off the glass.
- They couldn’t keep TKR off the glass, either. So far we have seen two games with those two playing beside each other, and it both games Purdue was absolutely dominant on the glass. That was the missing piece last season. It is found this year.
- We all know of the big three, but when Purdue gets a fourth, or even fifth guy going, it is hard to see anywone stopping them. So far this year Jack Benter, CJ Cox, Cluff, Liam Murphy, Mayer, and Daniel Jacobsen have all had at least one game in double figures. How do you defend a team like that?
- Gicarri Harris lowkey is doing a lot of little things great. He can have a breakout season next year with some more minutes. I like him as a sixth man.
- Braden Smith is 284 assists from the Division I record, and will likely get his 800th in the Bahamas as he is at 792. If he keeps up his current pace of 8.5 per game he will get the record as long as the Boilers play at least 38 total games this season.
- Purdue won the glass 45-26. Again, how do you beat Purdue when you give that offense that many chances?
- Aaron Fine looks like a guy that could earn some legit PT later in his career. Small sample size is microscopic, but he is making the most of very limited minutes.
- That makes 500 career victories for Matt Painter. A tremendous milestone. He has 475 wins at Purdue, 37 behind Gene Keady for the school record. He should pass Gene some time early next year, which is tremendous. Two guys with nearly 1,000 wins over 45 years in West Lafayette.
Postgame Video
