Streak over, Rivalry back on
By TYLER SMITH (@TylerSmith_ISL)
ISL Editor
BLOOMINGTON — There’s nothing quite like the Purdue and Indiana basketball rivalry. And with Purdue’s recent domination in the series, you could say Thursday night marked the rivalry’s return. Behind Lafayette’s own Rob Phinisee, the Hoosiers defeated #4 Purdue 68-65 in a thriller at Assembly Hall.
It was Indiana’s point-guard play, and not Trayce Jackson-Davis, that led the Hoosiers to victory… a complete reversal of what anyone would expect. The Boilers led 16-8 while Jackson-Davis went to the bench with two fouls, and it looked like Purdue had a chance to make it a quick night.
But then? Rob Phinisee happened.
The senior came into the game averaging just 4.6 points on the season, and 6.5 points in his career against Purdue. By halftime- Phinisee had 17 points and four steals, sparking a 29-15 run, all with IU star Jackson-Davis on the bench. Indiana led 37-28 at the break.
But then? Jaden Ivey happened.
A 19-point 2nd half for Ivey not only kept Purdue alive, but it was nearly enough to secure the win. After a beautiful ATO from Matt Painter, Purdue led 65-63 and got the ball back after a defensive stop. The Hoosiers were able to get a big stop of their own, and then? Rob Phinisee happened again.
“Just a surreal experience, and I won’t forget it,” said Phinisee after the game.
First year coach Mike Woodson said he and Phinisee “shared a beautiful conversation a few hours before the game.” Woodson has been Rob’s biggest supporter, and the belief in his senior guard paid huge dividends in this one.
“Rob has had his ups and downs,” Woodson said. “But when you have a coach that believes in you, that’s all you need. I told him again tonight that ‘I’m always gonna be in your corner,’ and tonight, he was on a mission.”
Indiana (14-4, 5-3) now has another signature win for its resume, and if they can beat Michigan at home on Sunday, the Hoosiers should finally crack the rankings. More importantly: It’s a program on the upswing. There’s life once again in Bloomington. Momentum is building. Good recruits are on the way. Assembly Hall is a feared building once again. And though the team will still have ups and downs the rest of the season, it is becoming relevant again. And who knows? Maybe the ceiling is even higher than we thought if the point guards continue to play well. The most impressive stat of the game: Indiana only turned the ball over three times.
As for the Boilermakers (15-3, 4-3), it was a disappointing loss, but they’ll be fine in the long run. This is still one of the most complete teams in the nation.
“I thought both teams played well, and obviously they were a possession better than us,” said Purdue Coach Matt Painter. “I thought the environment played a huge role. Phinisee was their spark. The turnovers and missed free-throws is what we’d like to have back.”
These teams will meet again at Mackey Arena on March 5th. Purdue will look to get their revenge. A lot of basketball will be played between now and then. For now? It’s great to see this rivalry back on. When both teams are good and relevant, it’s good for the sport, and great for the state. The Hoosiers ended the streak, and now we wait to see what the next chapter will bring.
Coming soon- your source for IU and Purdue tickets: OnlyBloomingtonTickets.com and OnlyWestLafayetteTickets.com
