Griffiths: Purdue could be dangerous in Windy City
By DOUG GRIFFITHS
ISL Assistant Editor
CHICAGO ” The consensus among Big Ten coaches seems to be that if you’re looking for a dark horse in the Big Ten Tournament, look no further than Matt Painter’s Purdue Boilermakers.
At just 15-16 on the season, Purdue has caught fire as of late, winning two out of its last three games. Earlier this month, the Boilermakers did what no one thought they could do — beat nationally ranked Wisconsin in Madison and by double digits. Not only did Purdue become one of the few teams to win in the Kohl Center under Bo Ryan, but the Boilermakers really joined elite company by pulling off the feat while unranked.
The Boilermakers nearly pulled off quite the encore just a few days later when they looked like they would upset No. 7 Michigan. The Wolverines, however, rallied down the stretch to escape Mackey Arena with a five-point victory.
Some thought Purdue would be out of gas once Minnesota came to town, thinking it laid it all on the line against John Beilein’s club. Not so.
The Boilermakers hammered Tubby Smith’s Golden Gophers by 16 points, and in the process, continued opening more people’s eyes.
True, this is the same Purdue team that was blown out by Indiana twice, including a 37-point debacle on its home floor and the same team that went 8-10 in the Big Ten, losing at Northwestern by 15 points.
That aside, Nebraska coach Tim Miles, whose team opens play against the Boilermakers tonight in the Big Ten Tournament, believes Purdue has really hit its stride.
“I think Purdue is the hottest team in the Big Ten,” Miles said. “They have played really well. I think they’re at their best. Their confidence is at the highest it’s been all year, so that makes it a tough matchup.
“You look at their resume and they’ve got work to do to even get in the NIT, but at the same time, if you ask them how they feel about themselves, they’ll tell you they feel better about themselves than they have all season.”
Purdue’s recent success is due to playing more unselfish.
“They’ve actually started passing the ball to each other,” Painter said. “We played the majority of the year with our guard play, whether it was a lack of understanding, knowledge or experience, all trying to make a play. That’s not the way the game is played.
“You have to pass the basketball and move the basketball, but you still have to be aggressive while you are doing it. You always have to be on the hunt, waiting for a breakdown, and then you attack. If it’s not there, you have to put them on defense. You can’t go through the motions. We would bog down, and then too many guys wanted to make a play for themselves. It gets contagious.”
You have to feel this is a Purdue team that has a little swagger now, definitely has momentum it hasn’t had all season and likely thinks it can play with anyone it may face.
To keep their NCAA Tournament streak of six straight alive , the Boilermakers would have to run the table and win their second Big Ten Tournament.
If Purdue falls short of cutting down the nets in the Windy City, it would need to beat Nebraska and then upset No. 2 Ohio State, which may seem like a long shot when you consider how well Thad Matta’s Buckeyes are playing right now, to earn an NIT bid.
The fact is the Boilermakers need two wins in Chicago to finish no worse than .500, which would make them more appealing to the NIT. If they fall short of that, Purdue will hold out hope that even with a sub-.500 mark, it will get an invite to the CBI.
If D.J. Byrd and Terone Johnson continue knocking down shots, A.J. Hammons stays out of foul trouble and plays like he’s engaged in the game, Sandi Marcius continues to provide a spark and Rapheal Davis plays near or at the level that earned him reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors, the rest of the Big Ten better beware. Purdue could indeed be very dangerous and have a special run in Chi-Town.
Also:
Griffiths makes Big Ten tourney picks
Purdue’s Hammons has one of best freshman seasons in school history.
Klemet: Purdue might fit the glass slipper.
Brunt: Painter does solid job with young team.
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