I don't know. I really don't. I'm at a loss to explain the Boilermakers recent performances. I think what's weird is that there isn't a consistent theme. One game it's poor free throw shooting. Another game it's poor three-point shooting. Games like today, it's poor rebounding or, one might argue, a complete and utter lack of focus. The Boilers didn't look ready to play and didn't cash in a win that they should have, losing their third straight, 72-64.
We said this was as near a "must win" as you can have in January. And Northwestern started the game looking a little nervous, turning the ball over a lot early and not scoring for the first three-plus minutes. Yet Purdue couldn't turn it into the insurmountable lead that good teams -- top ten teams -- do. Instead, they went into the tank and allowed the Cats to go in a 12-0 run before finally summoning some effort to close the halftime deficit to just one.
During that first half, we saw Chris Kramer's ankle get rolled on, causing him to come out for a while and also to have his minutes limited in the second half. Rob Hummel then took an elbow to the eyeball -- with no call, of course. I don't care what Wayne Larrivee says -- that's a FOUL. Whether or not it was "intentional" is immaterial. It's a flipping FOUL. And, really, it's a flagrant. But it's, at the very least, an offensive foul.
Jim Burr and his merry band of idiots even reviewed it and decided, nope, clean play. Meanwhile, Rob was bleeding all over his face. Solid.
There was a lot of chatter on Twitter about awful officiating and, yes, I agree it was not good. However, that should simply not have mattered. Purdue's talent is far beyond that of Northwestern. This should not have been a game.
In the second half, Purdue actually regained the lead and clearly had the mojo going. In previous games this year, if the Boilers had a second-half lead, the game was over. They were going to shut you down and squeeze the life out of you. Not anymore. Why is this? Are they tired? Losing motivation? Not as good as we thought? I don't think it's the last one because you have to be good to start 14-0 and to beat two top ten squads.
There seems to be a consensus that the bench needs to do more, and that may also be true. But let's back up a step. The bench wouldn't be nearly as critical if JaJuan Johnson and Keaton Grand were playing like they're capable of playing. Not getting better than they are -- just playing to their abilities. Right now, these guys are vanishing. KG had a couple nice threes today but he has some critical turnovers each game, too, and I just really miss sophomore year Keaton. I wish he'd come visit.
And as for JJ, well, I don't get it. I really am at a complete loss. The guy looks like a manchild at times -- such as in the tournaments last year, both Big Ten and NCAA. And now he's come back to mediocrity (or worse). If he winds up playing great in March again, it will be completely official -- this is a case of motivation. And that sucks. If JJ can't get up for these January games, that's worrisome. What kind of guy is he? What kind of heart does he have? Sure, I'd rather he's up for March games than January games....but we shouldn't have to choose! You only get so many chances at a special season, boys! Seize it!
Against Northwestern, the Boilers only got to the line 19 times -- but his 17 of them. Infuriating, since if they'd done this against Wisconsin, they may well have won. Rob Hummel had a fairly quiet 20 points and appears to have regained his shooting touch, shooting over 50% tonight. And Smooge continues being the most consistent guy of the season, scoring 24 points on 7-15 shooting and 9-9 from the line. E'Twaun is a true pleasure to watch these days, and seems to be the only guy improving as a player this season.
The Big Ten regular season title is long gone. A #1 seed is long gone. A #2 seed is a stretch now. Sure, they could win out from here and win the Big Ten Tourney, but do you really expect that to happen? Now it's simply time to win games and try to finish in the top 2 or 3 of the conference -- and even that is now going to be a struggle. I hate to feel this way, but as you look a the schedule, is there any game that feels like a gimme anymore? They could honestly lose any of them... but yes, they could win any of them. And that's a good thing....or as good a thing as we have at the moment.
All is not lost, and I refuse to think that way. This is still the same team that reeled off 14 to start the season. But this team needs to play Sandy Marcius and it needs Lewis Jackson to get healthy. Things down low are not working, and perhaps a little kick in the pants -- and perhaps some time on the bench that isn't the result of having two fouls in the first five minutes of a game -- would motivate JJ a bit. Also, it's no secret that Purdue does not inbound the ball well or bust a 1-3-1 press well. LewJack would help with both.
Boilerdowd said to me tonight that he thinks this seals a few things. For one, no 1 or 2 seed. For another, he thinks everyone's coming back next year, since this team isn't having the special season we were hoping for. We're certainly not writing it off, but if they aren't going to accomplish their initial goals of winning the conference and obtaining a 1 or 2 seed, then why should we think they'll accomplish further goals?
I say keep the faith. Hard as it may be right now, keep the faith. We're going to learn a lot about these guys over the next two months.
12 comments:
For those who said I was wrong about 9-9 conference, 11 seed. You are correct, I was wrong. They will not make the tourney. And it looks like 8-10 conference.
NU fan here -- don't be too down on yourselves. This is, without a doubt, the best Northwestern team I've seen in my entire life (which is saying something, since we lost arguably our best player in Kevin Coble for the season during preseason practice...he'll be back next year as a fifth-year senior after getting a medical redshirt). So no shame in the loss, even though I know it probably stings.
And let me also say, we're pretty thrilled to get the win against you, and relieved we only have to play you once. Purdue is a very talented team (even if it isn't playing up to potential right now), will end up in the top 4 of the Big Ten (if not top 2) and is going to be a tough out in the NCAA tourney....
Good luck the rest of the way...
Chaddog- very respectable- nice post. That is a rare find amongst the loud mouth trolls that usually support their teams. Props.
I'm at a loss in assessing this game. We played to NU's tone, and allowed our own discombobulation of defense flow over into our offensive scheme. The pace of the defense and the game seemed to cause our offense to catch an early bus out of Chicago. Etwaun played very well. Everyone else mostly sucked.
I still can't get over not one, but TWO phantom baseline/ out of bounds calls...where the camera showed INCHES between the shoes and the stripe...in both cases.
I didn't care for that officiating but you can't use that as an excuse every game.
JJ needs to learn how to play defense without fouling. It's been 3 years, I would think he's picked up some of it by now. He's going to leave early for the NBA? That's a joke. At this pace he won't be a starter on next year's squad.
Patrick Bade has to learn that in order to play defense, you have to MOVE YOUR FEET (to be said like Chris Farley- it's easy to win in chess when you NEVER MOVE YOUR BACK ROW.)
Not sure what we learn from this game. I would much prefer to see a team that relies less on the 3 ball, and more on the breaking the defender down, drive to the bucket, draw a foul or make a layup.
I know JJ can hit an 18 footer but does that make it a good shot? It's a lower percentage shot, if he's shooting from out by the arc, he's not in the paint battling for a rebound....and neither is anyone else.
I would like to see this team get emotional over rebounding. Getting outrebounded in a game is like a bully taking your lunch money or a stranger kicking your puppy. It ought to put fire in your game.
But still, we crash no boards. NU had 3 or 4 guys collapsing to the paint every shot. We had 2 or 3 guys dropping back to the mid court line to start playing defense again. NU is not a run and gun team. You're not going to get out done on the fast break...put the whole damn team under the basket for crying out loud.
Okay, this is more of a rant than meaningful input so I'll spare everyone by stopping now.
That game sucked. Good job NU.
This is no knock on NU... congrats to them for playing tough and wanting it badly. And congrats to their fans who don't get to see a full arena very often. (Thanks really go to the 5,000 Purdue fans there... including myself). As I left Welsh-Ryan arena and walked past NU's sad sports facilities and thought of how empty the stands are for most football and basketball games, it infuriates me that we got "SWEPT" in Basketball and Football this year. (And last year folks!) I hope Painter and Burke and Hope all somehow get this message. WE ARE PURDUE... we have a history of dominance over Northwestern in football and basketball, but not in recent years. This is an embarrassing moment for Purdue sports. Think of it... there is actually a generation of NU fans who EXPECT to beat Purdue... OUCH!
Michael,
You're an idiot. You better admit you were wrong come March.
Unless we see some improvement:
@ Ill - L
Mich. - W
Wisc. - L
PSU - W
@ IU - W
@ MSU - L
Iowa - W
@ OSU - L
Ill. - W
@ Min - L
MSU - L
IU - W
@ PSU - W
Conf. 9-9
Ovrl. 23-9
We would still make the tourney if we went 9-9 in conference play or 8-10. I don't think a 20 win Big Ten team has ever been left out, so right now that's not an issue. Unless JJ and the bench show up and start playing basketball I don't think we can do better than 9-9.
Edit: Overall record would be 21-9
Started 0-2 in conference last year against teams they should have beaten.... and the sky was falling in similar fashion. They recovered. I'm not ready to say they're a sub-.500 conference team. The reason we're all pissed is that we know they're better than this.
What concerns me about officiating is that this Purdue team doesn't seem to notice it: when the refs are calling everything, Purdue keeps doing the things that get called for fouls, and then eventually they start looking around like "what? that was a foul too? You're kidding me!" Someone on the floor needs to be gathering the team after a foul like that and saying look, they're calling it tight, we need to be careful underneath/on the baseline/out front/whatever. And Painter needs to be getting on them about it.
Keaton. Stop with the 3s for now. You've lost your stroke. You're shooting 54% from inside the arc. Stop shooting 3s for now.
In fact, the whole team could stand to look inside for a bit. Too many bricks from outside leading to defensive rebounds and no fouls.
Maybe it really is that the conference is incredibly tough this year. (kenpom still has Purdue in the top 10, Sagarin in the top 20.) Of course, that isn't necessarily good: that may just mean more challenges ahead. But hell, the whole point of being Final Four-caliber is that you can beat tough teams no matter where you play them. If Purdue can't start doing that, we don't have to worry about a repeat of 1980 ... it'll be 1988 instead. (Except for the part where they get a #1 seed.)
Allen,
I think you're right that a 9-9 conference record would get us to the big dance. I also think we'll have a better record than that.
But one doesn't have to look too far to find a 20-win Big Ten team that was left out of the tourney. It happened to Penn State last year, 22-11.
Purdue Matt,
I'm not an idiot, just a 20-year supporter of this team. Since my freshman year at Purdue (1988), I've been waiting for this team to get some respect. Then, when they finally reach the top of the mountain, they fail off hard and fast. My prediction of 8-10 conference record is based on performance, not emotion. Remember that one of the 2 conference victories was against a horrible Iowa squad.
i think they bounce back and still get a 2 seed. Winning the big10 isn't out of the question, but will be difficult.
Still this was a team that dominated WV and beat Tenn and won 14 straight. Could they put together another streak like that?
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