Introduction and Q&A with Micah Shrewsberry

Due to a couple things out of my control, I haven't been able to post this as early as I would have liked to...but, I'm still very pleased with the Painter's hire of Micah Shrewsberry...get to know the newest member of the Purdue basketball family below as he kindly took the time to answer our questions.

BS: How hard was it to leave Butler and Coach Stevens?

MS: "It was hard to leave Butler because of the relationship that I have with Brad and the rest of the staff. I'll also miss being around the guys on the team. We did some great things while I was there, and those are memories that I will always have and cherish."

BS: I've heard that the coach's offices in Hinkle Fieldhouse leave something to be desired. Did the new facilities/revamped Mackey Arena help make your decision to come to West Lafayette any easier?

MS: "Hinkle Fieldhouse is a special place to work in (especially for a guy from Indianapolis). When I got a chance to see what was going on here at Mackey, I was completely sold. Mackey already has great tradition and now the new renovations are just going to make Purdue a better place to work and play!"

BS: Are you excited about the Crossroads Classic or do you not look forward to squaring off against the guys you used to coach and work along side?

MS: "That will be a tough game for me. I think that the idea of the Crossroads Classic is great, but the timing of me coming here and playing Butler in year 1 is going to be tough."

BS: I've heard that your kids are pretty big Butler fans - how'd they take the news of the new job?

MS: "Nicholas and Caitlin are too young to realize what is going on. They just know that we now cheer for Purdue & say Boiler Up. My oldest son, Braeden was pretty crushed when I first told him. Butler was the only team that he has known and he grew up with Ronald Nored, Shelvin Mack, Gordon Hayward, and Matt Howard. Once he got a chance to visit and see everything (and meet Lewis Jackson), he came on board also. He has already attended a few football and basketball games here (even has a Hummel jersey), so it didn't take too long."

BS: With your deep roots in Indianapolis, will your primary recruiting responsibility be there? 

MS: "I think that I'll be able to recruit across the entire state. I've spent most of my coaching career in Indiana, so I'm pretty comfortable anywhere in the state. With the talent in Indy though, I think both Jack and I will spend a lot of time down there.

BS: How soon do (did) you start visiting recruits?

MS: "Once I signed my paperwork on that Tuesday, I was on the road the last two days of the evaluation period."

BS: Did you have a high comfort level with Coach Painter and Coach Owens prior to interviewing for the position?

MS: "Obviously Coach Owens and I are good friends from our days in high school playing against one another. He is a guy that I have come through the coaching ranks with and we have stayed in touch throughout. I've gotten to know Coach Painter over the years on the road recruiting. Our staffs have a great respect for each other and I wouldn't have left Butler unless I was working for a great coach, who is a great person, who does things the right way."

BS: What's your main goal as a Purdue coach?

MS: "My main goal is to continue to help Purdue try to put themselves in position to win championships. While doing that, I want to help recruit great ambassadors to the university and help them grow and develop on and off the court."

BS: What part of being a coach at Purdue are you most-excited about (IU rivalry, BT tourney, coaching in a larger arena, etc.)?

MS: "First of all, I'm excited to be at Purdue. Growing up in Indiana, this is a place where you dream to coach one day and now I'm living that dream. I also am excited about the grind of the Big Ten. Going up against the best each time you step out on the floor."

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The addition of Shrewsberry is a great fit with what Painter has built and wants to keep doing. He sounds like a high-character guy, because he is. The imminent hiring of a final assistant to Painter's coaching staff will complete the staff, but the parts in place are already tremendous.

Thanks to Micah for taking the time to answer our questions!

Potential Coaching Candidates

With the very capable Paul Lusk now heading to Missouri State, and Mike Jackson possibly not returning, Painter needs to rebuild his staff. So who should he go after? Here are a some names that we like:

Dan Dakich

Current talk radio and TV host, former IU assistant & HC, former BGSU HC, former IU player

Pros:

-Extensive asst. coaching experience under a legend of college basketball

-Head Coaching experience (Bowling Green & IU)

-Great understanding of Xs & Os

-His hire would anger IU fans.

-Smart

Cons:

-Not a young guy- might have a hard time playing second fiddle at times

-Has a good gig with TV and radio in which he can spend time with kids

-Would probably have a high price tag

-Comes off as egotistical

-No Purdue connection

Kenneth Lowe

Current Euro League Pro basketball player, Former Purdue guard

Pros:

-Purdue guy

-Has been a name with buzz for months on message boards like KHC

-Defensive-minded player (when he played)

-Young

-Smart and hard-working

-Should be pretty affordable (at least initially)

Cons:

-No coaching experience

-Don't know what to expect

Carson Cunningham

Current History Professor at DePaul, HC at Andrean HS & author, former Purdue point guard

Pros:

-Purdue guy/fan favorite

-Young

-Hard-nosed

-Smart and has an interesting perspective & way of doing things

Cons:

-Inexperienced

-Wasn't a defense-first player in college

Linc Darner

Current HC at D-II Florida Southern, former Purdue shooting guard

Pros:

-Experienced

-Successful HC in lower divisions

-History with Painter as a player

-Will get a significant raise from current position
-Deep Purdue connections

Cons:

-Might only be coaching at Purdue one or two seasons (could be a candidate for HC position quickly)

-No D-I experience

-Has been an HC for a few years, might not want to be an assistant

Chris Lowery

Current SIU HC, former AC under Painter/Weber at SIU

Pros:

-Rumors swirl about SIU is looking to push him out as HC

-Great rapport with painter

-Experienced

-Good recruiter
-From Indiana

Cons:
-Still not technically available
-Probably still wants to be a HC
-Will come with a high salary

Brian Cardinal
Current Dallas Mavericks Forward, Former Purdue Forward

Pros:
-Purdue fan favorite...deep Purdue ties
-Told us (via Twitter) that he might be interested...eventually
-Very hard-nosed, very defensive-minded
-Young

Cons:
-He'll be taking a significant pay cut
-No coaching experience

Micah Shrewsberry
Current AC at Butler, former HC at IU-SB

Pros:
-Comes from one of the best coaching systems in America
-Smart, hard-working
-Young
-Experienced

Cons:
-No Purdue connection

J.R. Reynolds
Current GA for Painter, Former AC at SI College

Pros:
-Currently on Painter's staff
-Hard-working, hard-nosed
-Young

Cons:
-Not very experienced

Playing The What-If Game

One of the easiest things to fall into when looking at any sport is the "what if" game. What if Butler's heave goes in at the buzzer last year? What if David Tyree doesn't catch the ball against his helmet against the Patriots? What if Kyle Orton doesn't fumble against Wisconsin in '04? What if IU never fired a good coach and hired a cheater?

It's only natural to think about Rob being healthy now and then. It's okay, too. It's a little selfish, but it's not a terrible thing to dream. And early in the season, I said that as much as I wanted to look forward and see what this team could do as constituted, I did admit that no matter what happens, we'll always be able to say, I wonder what would have happened with Rob. Basically, anything short of a national title and it'll be possible to wonder that.

However, I've begun to honestly change my thoughts on this. I still see clowns like Goodman tweeting after the OSU win "Just imagine if they had Hummel." Why, Jeff? So they could have beated OSU by 20? I don't get it. This team is playing as well as anyone in the country right now....yet people like you are still saying "what if they had Hummel?" How much more could they be winning right now? How much more dominant could they look? Seriously.

Let's consider things for a moment. What might be different right now, had Rob not torn his ACL for a second time in October?

Would JJ and E'Twaun be the players they are right now?

I'm not suggesting Rob being healthy would make them worse, so let's understand that right now. But let's also understand that there is zero doubt that these two simply looked at the situation and immediately understood what they had to do. Down 1/3 of the trio, they needed to cover that gap, be it in points, leadership, minutes, whatever. 

Would JJ be a player of the year candidate? Probably not, simply because he would be ceding some of his points and rebounds. Would Smooge have had that monstrosity of a game vs OSU? Probably not, for the same reasons. Again, Rob wouldn't have stunted their growth, per se, but he would have changed the distribution of responsibilities.

Would Ryne Smith be who he is right now?

Sure, Ryne comes and goes, but would he have had that hot start to the Big Ten season, including four straight double digit scoring games plus three games with five or more treys made? I don't know, but I kind of doubt it. Purdue needed a third scoring option in those games and Ryne didn't have Rob to defer to, so up the shots went...and down they fell. Kind of makes the tandem of he and Rob firing away next year sound delicious, doesn't it?

Would Kelsey Barlow be playing as much?

With Rob in the lineup, where does Kelsey fit? I guess he's spelling LewJack still, but that's about it. Does he develop as a player as he has if Rob is there? Again, do not misunderstand -- I'd love to have a healthy Hummel. But there are side effects of his absence that are going to ultimately be good for the development of guys like Kelsey.

Does Terone Johnson redshirt?

Going down the depth chart, how much would Terone have played? Would it have been more prudent just to redshirt him? And if the answer is yes, while that's nice in terms of having him around longer, he loses all of what he has gained this year. As many people say, by this time of year, freshmen are no longer freshman. We've seen TJ go through the growing pains of learning the college game, adjusting to the speed, feeling his way through conference play, etc. And now we're seeing him hit big-time shots. Think about how valuable that experience might turn out to be in the tournament this year and for years to come.

Is the resolve this team has shown there?

There is absolutely no doubt, this team was marked for great things this year with Rob. Everyone was saying so, with top five preseason rankings a certainty. Then it all changed and Purdue's season reportedly went with Rob's knee. Now, I'm not saying the team would have been less focused, but I think it's reasonable to think they might have....expected...to be great. With Rob's injury and the resulting media remarks about Purdue, I think our boys got pissed. They'll never fully admit it, but they hear what gets said. They know they were absolutely left for dead. One of my favorite recent digs from another site was that we "manufactured the chip on Purdue's shoulder." This is one of those remarks that simply underscores ignorance. We didn't manufacture anything. We simply report what we see.

So would this team be this focused? I honestly don't know. I have faith in Matty and the boys and I think they do a great job of keeping things in perspective and staying the course and keeping their eyes on the prize. In the past it was making the tourney. Then it was winning the conference. Now it's a lot more than that. And whatever you thought might happen back in mid-October, you couldn't have asked for things to be in better shape than they are at this moment.

The train is coming, folks. Choo-choo.

Class of '13 Dominos Falling...

Basil Smotherman became the third big timer to verbal to Matty in the now loaded class of 2013. Smotherman is the son of his HS coach at Indianapolis Heritage Christian...never a bad thing to have a coach's son on board- those guys are notoriously heady and hard-working.

You might say that this class is starting to look like that of '07...I'd counter by saying this one is even more talented, at least at this point in their careers. Let's remember JJ was still a largely-unknown commodity and Hummel's game was not as widely known. Plus, those guys weren't Sophomore verbals. They all came much later in the game.

We've said it before, you shouldn't get too excited about a verbal from kids that are barely driving...or not driving yet. But, Scott, Stephens and Smotherman all seem like they just want to be Boilers. Because things tend to happen this way, I wouldn't be at all surprised to hear about a fourth verbal in the coming weeks...that would complete the class...that's quite a contrast from the struggle of '11.

So far, Purdue has 3 top-50 recruits for that class and Smotherman is 26th on their chart. Could we see the first McD AA for Purdue in a long time come from this class? It could happen, but let's also remember that these guys are probably not full-grown yet, so the next two years can change things quite a bit.

Party Like it's 1989: Boiler Legacy Likes Matty

One of my favorite childhood memories as a Purdue fan is going to Mackey arena in the late-80s in the midst of a huge ice storm to watch the Three Amigos beat Michigan and clinch the Big Ten title. Todd Mitchell, Troy Lewis, Everett Stephens were fun to watch. Mitchell was mean underneath, Lewis was silky smooth and Stephens had quick hands on defense, a lightning-fast first step and could get off the floor in a hurry.

Much like Lil' Boilerdowd has been a Purdue fan since he was old enough to sit up in front of the TV, high school sophomore Kendall Stephens can probably say the same...and I'm glad this one doesn't look like he wants to go anywhere but God's country.

From the video, he seems to be more of a shooter than Dad. He's built a lot like Anthony Johnson at this point, but has a few years to gain a little weight...but, if genetics have much to say about it, he might be fighting an uphill battle. No matter, like his Dad, he's a player.

He was visiting Bruce Weber the other night when one of his other suitors, our Boilers, were in town...I guess he saw in Champaign, what we all saw when we took our days on campus. It's a few years away, but it sounds like Purdue is where he wants to be.

Week of Reckoning Power Rankings

Let's be honest- there's a lot riding on the next seven days. The Forces of Good have a chance to right some wrongs and place themselves in an enviable position. J and I have a conversation about how we feel about the team every week to seven days. Right now, I feel good. Moore still isn't playing his best possible basketball, yet he's scoring around 20, rebounding well and doing the little things that make him valuable to the team. While the media doesn't think JJ's sexy-enough to be considered a legit contender for Player of the Year, those of us who really watch him find him to be a sexy beast. He's doing it all...and even though he's soft spoken, he's digging deep to try to be a vocal leader. Let's not forget about the fellows surrounding the Big 2.

LewJack is playing with a tempo that's tough to match and is helping turn defensive stops into quick points. It's not by luck or coincidence that the Boilers just scored 54 points...in a half...on the road. That's because Matty has this team playing faster basketball, and The Adorable Midget (ref. BTN's Journey) is executing like a henchman for John Gotti back in the go-go 80s. Let's not forget about his taller counterpart KBar. Barlow sees the court well, but has really been impressing me with his ferocity on the glass. Perhaps yesterday, we saw a glimpse of what's coming in '12- LewJack at the point and Barlow on the wing slicing and dicing defenses as he continues to create difficult match-ups for flat-footed and shorter guards.

Byrd, Smith and TJohn are the next level of defense. All of them quietly await their turn, playing hard-nosed defense, diving for loose balls, guarding guys who think they can beat them and awaiting the defense to make the foolish mistake- discounting or forgetting about them. When that happens, when they're given space, they tend to capitalize and make the opposition pay. When these three aren't forcing things on the offensive end is when they're most dangerous. When they wait, the game almost always comes to them.

Bade, Marcius and Carroll may have quiet roles, but their importance isn't lost on Matty. The time will assuredly come in either the BT tourney or NCAA tournament in which JJ needs a few minutes or Purdue runs into a team like UConn a few years ago...and one or two of these guys will have to play important minutes. Sure, they aren't called to play a ton right now, but I like the fact that both Bade and Carroll have played with confidence and both can play better.

I'm not forgetting about Hart...and I don't think he's forgotten how to shoot in the last few months. But, he's gotta get his eye and his confidence back before he can be expected to do what he was doing back in December. There's still time for it to happen.

I've always said I like Painter's teams when they are playing with a chip on their shoulder...when few believe in them and when they have a score to settle. They've got two to settle in the very near future.

The Composite Computer Ranking is hovering right around 10, and I'd expect the human polls to be similar later today. And speaking of rankings, this is where we see the BT as of today:

1. an Ohio State Institution of Higher Learning

There's no shame in losing to Wisconsin in the Kohl. But, I think we saw some tarnish on their gleaming armor on Saturday. While no one will question a loss at Wisconsin, everyone will question a high-caliber team that loses a 15 point lead in a half...even those in their locker room. Here's to hoping they're doubting everything right about now.

2. Wisconsin

'Sconny is playing good ball. Did any of you doubt Ryan would have them in this position right now? We didn't...and the formula is still magic: Great point guard play + big white goons= Success. Mix in a killer high-top fade, a SideShow Bob mop and the Birdman chewing on the officials, you have a can't miss high seed for the NCAA tourney. They're not going to be here for long though.

3. The Purdue University

A week ago, I'd say the BT regular season title was a pipe dream...and while it's still a dream, it's not the impossible dream. Let's sit back and enjoy the next three weeks...this could be really fun.

4. Michigan

The gap between 3 & 4 is a chasm right now.

I like the way the Wolverines are playing. This has been an up and down season...but they have a legit opportunity to make it to the NCAA tourney. An angry Illinois team on the road will show us how seriously we can take UM.

5. MSU

The sizable win over Penn State showed me that Sparty still has a pulse. I put Izzo's squad here mostly because I'm trying to give them confidence.

"You guys are good! Yay MSU! Now go beat Ohio State, damnit."

6. Illinois

Losing 6 of 10 is not something a team with that many Seniors and that much talent should ever do. Let's not forget, they lost to IU and Northwestern during this cold spell their under.

7. Minnesota

Tubby's club has weathered a ton of adversity. But they're in big trouble at this point. It's very possible that they could lose their next three. Like Illinois and MSU, they're fighting for their tournament life.

8. Penn State

If they get hot again, they could seriously damage the teams battling Purdue for the conference lead.

Love ya, Lions. (It's a Valentine's Day note)

9. Northwestern

So much hope...so many dreams...No tournament, yet again. John Shurna's ankle injury has absolutely killed the Cats. They could win their next two, but that'll be it for them. And that means they won't even be invited to Penn State's Invitational Post-season National Title Tournament.

10. IU

The battle for 11th will be brutal!! Here's to the Cats thumping the Forehead...and the Hoosiers losing out. Wouldn't that be a shot to the confidence of those who tell me IU's making strides. We'll keep an eye on how it plays out.

11. Iowa

If they have the same record, the Hawks get the tie-breaker...Remember, they swept IU. We don't forget.

We love you, our readers, more than we love sweet confections, flowers and mylar balloons. We think about you when we're out of town on business...hoping that you'll be impressed with our most-recent musings, observations, analogies and anecdotes. Please be ours.

We'll anxiously await your response.

Happy VD to you all.

A Rebuilding Comparison

In 2005, Matty inherited a Purdue basketball program that was in pretty bad shape. Coming off of a 7-win season, Painter looked to rebuild. His two best players were both forced to redshirt the first season due to injury. His resulting roster was comprised of walk-ons, a football player, transfers, some guys who wouldn't be playing anywhere else in the league and a couple guys that belonged in the BT. In his first season, Purdue went 9-19.

Over the second and third seasons, Matty lost 6 players to transfer. Attrition forced fan favorite, Bobby "Buckets" Riddell, the 5'9" Lafayette native and walk-on, to not only play significant minutes, but start for part of Painter's second season.

Painter, of course made a splash with the Baby Boilers class that included JJ, Hummel, Smooge and another guy that gave Purdue a top-10 recruiting class nationally. This class and Matty's plan helped restore Purdue to the top-three of the league by year three of Painter's tenure in W.Lafayette.

Tom Crean inherited a team decimated by academic and disciplinary problems in Spring/'08 following Kelvin Sampson's resignation. Like Painter, Crean was forced to using walk-ons and transfers his first season. Along with a few carry-overs, his first class was a good recruiting effort in an abridged time- no super stars on paper, but some solid players. That class included Dumes, Jones, Roth, Story & Pritchard.

The next season ('09), Crean brought in a monster class that included three 4-star recruits, 2 high 3-star recruits and a couple of project players. This class was rated top-5 in the nation.

With that strong class as a lynch pin of his rebuilding plan in Bloomington, Crean is now in his third season in Bloomington...But the media is still telling us that the talent disparity with the rest of the BT is too much too overcome for IU to possibly compete. We told you following the game in Mackey that we weren't buying into that story...and here is a bit of evidence to back up what we've been saying...you make up your own mind.

Boilers Leave No Doubt V. Hated Rival in Mackey

With Vandy, MSU, Kentucky, Georgetown and others all suffering upset losses yesterday, Matty's squad seemed to be especially-ready to play for a high-noon tip-off versus the Hawkeyes. So tell me if you've heard this one:

Purdue's opponent looked sloppy, out of control, confused and out-manned in the opening minutes on Keady Court. It's something Purdue fans have become accustomed to, especially in the last few seasons. But, if I was to tell you that JJ and Smooge would be quiet offensively during that period, you'd probably think Purdue might be leading 18-16 at the half...but that wasn't the case.

As Purdue's All-America and Naismith Award candidates weren't on their game, Kelsey Barlow, Ryne Smith and LewJack were picking them up. Jackson drove and dished and finished when he had to, Barlow got hot for a spell and used his length and athleticism to score over smaller guards and, of course, Ryno made it rain like it was March in Portland.

I think we can officially say, Purdue has found its third scorer. I joked with J that Moore and Johnson decided to have these cold spells just to make #24 show the world what he does in practice. But in reality, Smith, Jackson and others are merely doing what they're capable of doing because they understand that it's a must if they are to become the team that many, including Matty, think they can become.

In the 75-52 victory, Purdue did what Matty likes to see and then some. They held their opponent under 59 points, they did much better from the free throw line than the last few games (shot 77%), a lot of guys got involved in the offense (4 in double figures, 8 scored points) and they won the rebounding battle yet again (35-28).

Moore had 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 4 assists. But, he only shot 33% from the field and struggled versus the trap that Coach Fran threw at him. But, he also exploited it after he got used to it. I'm sure he's looking forward to playing a team that plays man-to-man, but many teams may start asking which way they want to die- at the hands of Cool Hand Smooge or the Ryno "The Silencer" Smith. Regardless of which defense teams play, and Iowa played at least 5 types, Purdue seems to have an offensive answer right now.

Smith was the leading scorer for the second-straight game. He finished with 18 points, on 6/9 shooting, all from behind the arc. He also had 3 rebounds and 3 assists, but he played great defense on Gatens and was one of Purdue's guards who held Gatens in check for much of the game.

In fact, While the 23 point victory might seem to be pretty ugly, but honestly, it could have been much worse. Matty called off the dogs with about 5 minutes left and Purdue had a line-up that included Bade, Marcius and Day for a couple minutes. This game was far from perfect for Purdue, but the defense, combined with excellent team blocking out and solid shooting from a few guys made it no contest at all. Lets remember, Iowa was coming off of a close loss to aOSU and a game v. Illinois where they played well and stayed within striking distance for much of that contest. Purdue stopped any momentum the Hawkeyes might have had and made sure the game was interesting to no one outside of the Purdue family.

I continue to like what I see from LewJack- he had 7 points, while making all of his shots and added 5 rebounds and 7 assists. He had 4 turnovers though...so he can clean that up. He did a great job off of the dribble and Iowa didn't seem to have anyone who could guard him with the ball in his hands. The offense that Matty runs through Jackson much of the time was potent...and get this (but don't tell anyone)- it even had a few sets that were very effective. Painter's signature motion offense is morphing into something much more effective and much tougher to defend.

JJ had 16 points, 5 rebounds, 3 steals and 4 blocks. As Purdue continues to filter the defense toward 25, he continues to clean up the mess and intimidate. So even when he's not at his 19 points/game scoring, he's still making noise.

Barlow had 11 points and 4 rebounds, but just took the game over for a stretch in the first half. His effectiveness was limited a bit after he rolled his ankle following a steal. He continues to be pesky and annoying to opposing guards...which I love and hate at the same time. He's gotten better on both sides of the court this season, but still has some growing up to do, in my opinion. He's a work in progress that might be All-Big Ten next season...if nothing else, he'll be All-BT defensive team in '12.

TJohn had 7 points, while only missing one shot, and Carroll had 6 rebounds and was 1/1 from the field.

It was an efficient day. But, we haven't yet seen a game in which everyone, from the Big 2 to the "new" offensive threats are on at the same time. It'll happen this season, and I pity the team who is on the business end of that performance.

Following the game, Purdue's composite computer ranking is 8th. And with a losses by Kentucky and Mizzou this weekend, their human poll rankings should be nearly the same come tomorrow afternoon.

Next up, Purdue heads to their personal house of horrors, Minnesota to exact some revenge on Thursday.

2011 Class looking Super-Athletic!!

Matty surprises us again with the verbal from Jacob Lawson...if nothing else, EsPN will wanna show Boiler highlights in a few seasons. Lawson chose Purdue over G'Town, Mississippi, Wake and others. He averaged 14.5pts. last season...but more note-worth, 12.5 rebs...and 5.5 blocks!!

See for yourself part of the reason why Matty likes this kid:


Welcome, Mr. Lawson!!

...And you already know this fella:


Purdue Commit Donnie Hale

Making Big Noise

Terone Johnson is the headliner of a stout incoming class in 2010

Matt Painter's recruiting efforts aren't only being noticed by schmoes like us here at BS...but Matty and Co. are getting some publicity for the class of '10 nationally as well. Next year's class is in the top 10 nationally, according to Rivals...That's good news...but, the really bad news is, that very same class is 4th in the Big Ten, according to the same mag. I guess an era similar to the mid-90s in the BT might be just around the corner with the tsunami of talent rushing into the league.

So, as our Boilers improve, so does everyone else around us. No matter...if the talent level is that high and Painter's pulling the strings, it's going to be fun. Anyway, wouldn't you rather have Painter at the helm with the 10th-best class than Matta at the helm of the first-best? I would, especially when I think about the record that aOSU has had lately with guys leaving after their Frosh year...plus, the Buckeyes class is simply large since it has six newcomers...Stability is clearly something being sought in West Lafayette.

Hopefully Matty's found that "golden" range of players that are great, but not the type of kids that want to leave after just one season in West Lafayette. We shall see.

In the Conversation: Basketball Recruiting

Eyeing the future of Purdue basketball

Most of you already know that Matt Painter's a hustler when it comes to recruiting. More than one recruit has noted how Painter seems to be in two places at once and shows up in places that the recruit simply is surprised to see Purdue's coach in attendance.

The class of 2010 has (arguably) 3 top-100 players...one of those who has meteorically-risen to the top-50...even while injured during much of the summer. Things are looking up, it seems, with each minute that passes for the Purdue men's team.

But, I'm really impressed with what's a little bit down the road. The class of 2011 is loaded with talent from the Midwest, specifically the state of Indiana. Painter tends to focus on Indiana and Illinois instead of spreading himself all over the nation.

According the the rivals, Purdue has offers out to 9 of the nation's top-50 players...While I'll take one of those out of the running right away because his last name's Zeller and a couple are heavy leans elsewhere...Purdue is really in the running for 4-or-5 of these players. And honestly, I think they're going to land two of them.

You've heard me say this before- that I don't take stock in a lot the commitment of a 14 or 15 year old. But, these 16 or 17 year olds are taking Coach Painter very seriously and are beginning to see Purdue for what it is- a force in college basketball. Painter's effort isn't a buckshot method that hopes for something to stick- it's a very-focused, close-to-home technique that seems to develop relationships that a lot of these kids gravitate toward.

Last year, Painter spoke of the importance of a Glenn Robinson-type of player who might be able to propel the program to the next level with his immense amount of talent...Don't be surprised if we hear one of these top-25-type of players commit to Painter in the near future...it seems to me like it's almost inevitable at this point. Matty's paving the way.

Lace 'Em Up!

Tonight, the conference schedule begins. According to Kramer, Purdue's motivated to beat this opponent because of the fact that the Illini beat Purdue in the BT tourney to end last year's campaign (prior to the NCAA tourney).

Regardless of their motivation, the games now have more significance...and efforts like the Duke game, ISU game, IPFW and Valpo will probably end as costly conference losses.

It seems to me that Matty picks and chooses his battles as a coach...it also seems that he understands how to motivate a team during the Big Ten season (case in point- 11-game winning streak in '08). That said, teams are looking forward to playing Purdue this season as they became the BT's media darling prior to this season.

Wisconsin remembers being swept, MSU remembers being nearly beaten by a short-handed Purdue team at home then knocked out of the BT lead at Mackey, re-tooled Minnesota and Michigan squads both remember losses to the young Boilers in '08, and Northwestern is trying to stay respectable...avenging at least one of their losses to Purdue last season would go a long way in doing so.

On the flip-side, there is still much to prove for this Purdue team...and Matty knows that. They haven't beaten aOSU at home since the Value City Arena opened...February 3 gives them another chance. IU has beaten Purdue two out of the last three contests...and while most of the players wearing candy stripe pants were underclassmen in high school during the previous contests, Purdue should be no-less motivated. On a greater scale, Purdue and Painter have yet to win a Big Ten Championship...neither regular season nor tourney...and players and coaches alike have talked about this being a priority for them. And finally, the deepest a Painter-coached Purdue team has gotten in the NCAA tourney is the round of 32...There is still a lot left to be accomplished.

Purdue versus Illinois airs tonight on ESPN2 at 7:00.

That's What I 'm talkin' 'bout!

Overwhelmed

Alright, I'm one of the first to say that the media's love affair with mid-majors is a bit silly. From Gonzaga, to Butler, to St. Mary's, to Davidson...Generally, my first thought about these teams is- how would they fair if they had to run an entire season in the BT, ACC, Big East or another monstrous conference? My answer is usually, they'd be 5-7th in the conference and not much of a story...They'd get an invite to the tourney, maybe, but they aren't worth all of the hype; especially since these same media outlets who perpetually craps all over the conference of my alma mater. You know what I think, but since I've got this opportunity, suck it, EsPN.

All that said, Steve Curry is a special talent...we all saw that in the March last year. When he's hot, no one can stop him...and he has the rare ability to score even when you know how he plans on doing it. During his team's run last year, he looked unflappable...and seemed to play at a level that NCAA teams couldn't match.

Well, I got to Conseco early Saturday afternoon...so I got to watch Steve Curry warming up. Dude is silky smooth...things look easy for him. And in the entire pre-game, he didn't miss but two or three shots. It looked like he would get his points later versus our Boilers.

Coming into the game, I said to a friend- "Let Curry get his points and play lock-down defense on the rest of the Davidson squad. If you do that, and Curry scores 40, you'll still win by 10 points." Matty had a different idea...and his idea knocked one of the best in the game way off of his game. If you didn't get to watch it...enjoy this pictorial:


These photos were taken by a 2.0mp camera on my phone from the balcony...so they're not super-clear. Here's what those scores say, in case you didn't get to watch/listen to the game:

Purdue 12 Davidson 0

Purdue 21 Davidson 0

Purdue 59 Davidson 28

So, How'd they do it? Here's how- Matt Painter confused the All-American like he had never been befuddled on the college basketball court...and kept him uncomfortable for 40 minutes. In the first 8 minutes, each time Purdue would come out of a time out, Steve would see a different Boiler in his face...First LewJack, then Keaton, now Kramer, and finally the Ostrich. Each different than the last...all tough to figure out, even for a solid offensive player...and then for good measure, when Purdue would rotate round picks, Curry had JJ to greet him and alter his shot. Steve shot 18% from the field, and scored 13 points...19 less than his average. And while the officials did their best to look the other way as he kept his left elbow out to lead the way on his drives, it didn't help. Purdue, the four-headed defensive monster, and Matty, were in Dell's son's head.

Regardless of how EsPN spins this game, Purdue made damned sure that the CBS national TV audience knew who was the better team was at the end of the game...by a lot. Perhaps it was a bit of salve in the would left by K and Co. last month following the blood-letting at Mackey. I've said this before- Purdue desperately needed a resounding win over this ranked opponent...but, holy moly, did I need it too. I'm especially glad I was there to see it.

A few more quick thoughts about the contest...
-Welcome back, Keaton!
While KG didn't shoot as well as last season, he may have taken his first step to getting back to the very real threat that he was last season.
-Smooge looked out of sync again...especially at the point.
He seems to be gripping a bit right now. I'm not worried about his game, but instead a looking forward to seeing all of the offensive weapons blazing at the same time- it'll happen.
-Alley Oop, biznatches!
Not one, but two back door dunks by JJ seemed nearly effortless. His long arms and leaping ability and court presence seem to be the perfect combo, especially if a defense decides to extend in an effort to stop #4.
-Our All-American candidate.
Hummel looked great as he shot the lights out, and rebounded like a man possessed...18/14/4...not a bad line, if you're into that sort of thing.
-Shoot it, Chris!
Not a big gripe, but damnit, Kramer, shoot every now and again!

Notes
Nice, Dukies.
I was actually happy to see Duke beat Xavier. What's worse than Duke fans? Fans that want to be Duke fans.

It's still tbe Big Ten.

Minnesota, Purdue and MSU all beat ranked teams. The BT is not second to anybody. While the ACC and Big East have a ton of talent, the BT has the best coaching in the land...and some talent of it's own.

A bit upsetting
This morning, before the Wooden Tradition, an icon of a crappy era in stadium architecture was reduced to rubble in Indy. I didn't think it was a big deal, until I saw the unabaited view of the Oil Can while heading South in downtown Indy. As I drove past the pile of rocks formerly called the Hoosier Dome/RCA Dome, I was reminded of all of the events I had attended under that mountain of aggrigate, rebar and aluminum fascia. I'm not sorry it's gone, but a lot of memories left as it fell down this morning.

Dome No More