Boilermakers Win In A Laugher, 64-38

On Saturday morning/afternoon, the Boilermakers showed what their defense is capable of, in a 64-38 win over Central Michigan. It's nice to win a game by 26 points. It's even nicer when you can get your younger guys more and more minutes that will be very valuable as the season wears on, both from the experience perspective as well as in terms of keeping the big guns well-rested. And it's awesome when your defense can hold a team to 14 points in the first half and less than 40 overall.

38 points? Mercy! Coach Dale wants you to pass four times before you shoot, boys!

On another positive note, the Boilermakers won the rebounding battle, 31-22, which is good even if it was against a lesser opponent. The Chips, to their credit, played hard to the final buzzer, with pileups and rough, floor-burn play happening even in the final two minutes. Also fun to see was the Purdue reserves continuing to work for the good shot and nailing good shots -- threes -- in the final minutes.

Rob Hummel only had 11 points, but he went for a double-double with 11 boards as well. I'll take that now, but we're going to need some point outbursts as the season wears on. However, if they're going to play shutdown defense, 60-70 points will be plenty to win most nights.

Moore and Grant combined for 25 points on 50% shooting from the field and a perfect 8-for-8 from the line. Solid, all-around team play got it done today.

One thing I wasn't thrilled with was seeing Kelsey Barlow manage to foul out of the game in just 19 minutes of play. He also led the team in turnovers with five, while only scoring two points. Kind of a weird game for him. We're definitely going to need more contribution than that moving forward, but I tend to think it was just one of those days for Barlow and he'll be fine.

On the subject of fouls, here's an interesting tidbit: The starters combined for four total fouls (two on Kramer, two on Moore), while the reserves had thirteen personal fouls. Again, livable for today, but when it comes to needing these guys to step in when one or more of the starters get into foul trouble, getting yourself into foul trouble as a reserve player isn't an ideal situation. But yes, it's a good thing that I have to look for things to nit-pick about.


And just a few more fun statistics from the game, because I often find statistics to be very telling, Purdue shot a modest 46% from the field, but hammered home free throws at a 95% clip. As always, you can win or lose the game from the line. Free throws in Big Ten play will be of paramount importance.

Back to the defense for a minute, CMU shot only 28% from the field, an atrocious number that I hope Purdue's defense can approach against other squads as well.

A final thought -- isn't it nice to have a team that you know is going to win these games? I'm not getting cocky by any stretch since, yes, it was Central Michigan. But in past years, sometimes Purdue has a hard time staying focused. Sure, that will definitely happen again at times this year, but so far they've been on their game for most of every game they've played. Getting up for Tennessee, while also being up for Cal State Northridge is huge, in my opinion. These guys are ready for the season and they look solid. The next big test is Tuesday night against Wake Forest. Let's hope the entire Big Ten comes to play this week so we can shut up the ACC supporters and anti-Big Ten mouths.

Dan LeFevour Doesn't Play Basketball, Does He?

Dan doesn't play basketball, too, does he? Because we're tired of seeing him.

Purdue continues its budding ongoing rivalry with Central Michigan today. What, do you expect a full-on BS recap? On our holiday weekend? Have you no hearts, you Ebeneezer Scrooges?

Consider the comments section your place to share first impressions and semi-formed thoughts on the game. Our more detailed write-up, if you're good boys and girls, coming later tonight or tomorrow.

Getting Chippy: CMU v. Purdue Prognostication

We foreshadowed this a long while ago- Joe Tiller will have the chance to beat Fat Jack on Purdue's all-time winning list versus CMU tomorrow at high noon inside the friendly and probably roomy confines of Ross Ade Stadium. It is fitting afterall that he attains the record v. a MAC squad...that's if there's no hangover from last week's excruciating loss.

If my friends are any gauge of the interest among Purdue fans in this game, there will be about 50,000 present at kickoff. This is one of the games I didn't purchase, but said I'd attend if the seats were given to me...What do you know? I've been given not one, but three tickets so Mrs. Boilerdowd and Lil' Boilerdowd can attend as well. I'm now looking forward to it as it'll be a fun day with the family, but I'm not too excited about watching Purdue play a team with nothing to lose for the third time in 373 days.

While there should be plenty of entertainment for those who love offense, this one's far from ideal...but the game might be too close for comfort as CMU went from a seemingly easy victory, last fall, to a near defeat in the early winter. And get this, in case you need a reminder- Purdue had a 31 point lead in the first half the last time they faced the Chipps and gave the lead back over the next quarter and a half...a painfully-familiar script for our Boilers. Here's what we think will happen:

Tim Says:
I think it will be relatively low scoring in the first half, but Purdue will pull away in the second half after wearing CMU down. CMU doesn't have much of a running game to speak of, with the QB LeFevour getting more than half of the total rushing attempts. LeFevour does do a good job of spreading the ball around, but the new and improved secondary should be able to handle that. Painter should not have much trouble passing the ball against the Chips. That is, of course, assuming that Tiller doesn't go into the prevent offense mode after going up 3 - 0 and trying to hold out for the win.

Purdue 30
CMU 17

J Says:
Third meeting in a calendar year.... normally, even beating a team twice in a football season is difficult. Purdue did that, barely, last year. Beating a team three times in a year is considered even more difficult. However, Joe Tiller loves playing MAC teams and actually does seem to be willing to open things up against them. CMU is still led by Dan "I've got" LeFevour (eat that, Berman) so they'll score some points.... but their defense, from my limited eye, seems to be even more porous than last year. I see another shootout, with the Boilers scaring us yet again.

Winning a "no-doubter" would be great and this is their last chance of the season. But I don't see
it being an easy one.

Boilers 45
CMU 35

Boilerdowd says:
I saw an excellent analysis of this on GBI-

Will Tiller decide to continue riding the Sheets train or will he try to get Painter back on track versus a sub-par defense that he's feasted upon previously?

My suggestion, which matters not, is give the damned thing to Kory, then do it again, and again, and again...It'll control the clock, help keep the defense rested for the speedy attack of the CMU O and it will help guys like Zwilling, Sester and Plue get more and more comfortable with their counterparts in an offensive line that simply hasn't had a lot of chances to play as a complete unit.

What will probably happen is Painter will put the ball up at least 40 times...that has its positives too as this wide receiving corp desperately needs reps...they dropped way too many last week and this is the last chance for a few weeks to play an overmanned defensive backfield.

Part of me has a bad feeling about this game (but not the logical part), that said, it's just because of the bad taste in my mouth still hanging around from last week. I'm thinking the players act like young men and forget quick and emotionally heal quicker unlike old, fat alums

Tiller gets the record and does so formulaicly as he finds a victory scoring 40+ and versus a conference he's only lost to twice in the past 12 years.

Purdue 41
CMU 24

To Your Call Once More We Rally;
Alma Mater Hear Our Praise.
Where The Wabash Spreads Its Valley;
Filled With Joy Our Voices Raise.
From The Skies In Swelling Echoes
Come The Cheers That Tell The Tale
Of Your Vict'ries And Your Heros,
Hail Purdue! We Sing All Hail!

Hail, Hail To Old Purdue!
All Hail To Our Old Gold And Black!
Hail, Hail To Old Purdue!
Our Friendship May She Never Lack.
Ever Grateful, Ever True,
Thus We Raise Our Song Anew;
Of The Days We've Spent With You,
All Hail Our Own Purdue!

BS Reader Poll -- Game 3

The third game of the Boilers season against Central Michigan will also mark the third time these two teams have faced each other in the past twelve months. This is almost unheard of in college football but yet, there it is. And it’s not a super-crazy idea that these two could meet again in the Motor City Bowl. Four times in 15 months? I would almost expect fights at that point. They’ll have to hate one another by then.

Regardless, does CMU have a better shot at winning based on the familiarity with Tiller, Painter and Spack? Vote it up.

Game 3
September 20, 2008
Central Michigan at Purdue
OTT Preview



Vote on other games!

Detroit Is Lovely In December

The Boilermakers football bowl position has been established and they narrowly avoided warm destinations like Tempe, AZ (Insight Bowl) and Fort Worth, TX (Armed Forces Bowl). That's right, they've made it into that outpost of bowl games -- the Motor City Bowl.

I'm not sure whose idea it was to start having bowl games in frigid locations, but it's one of those ridiculously terrible ideas that has inexplicably spread in way one might expect a good idea to spread. The International Bowl in Toronto, the Humanitarian Bowl in Idaho, and the Motor City Bowl in lovely Detroit.

Perhaps the included picture should be the logo for the Motor City Bowl -- at least it would make people feel warm.

As a soon-to-be transplant to Texas, I was prepared to make the journey to Southwestern bowl game destinations -- such as Houston for the Texas Bowl, Ft Worth for the Armed Forces Bowl, El Paso for the Sun Bowl, or even Tempe for the Insight Bowl. But now our Boilermakers wil be in balmy Detroit instead... and as such, I think my midwestern counterparts should be onsite to report for Boiled Sports in Detroit.

How about it, boys?