Enter The Leatherman

If you visit this site regularly, you've read and listened to James change from a confident fan, to questioning observer to a flat-out doubtful critic.  J and I have gone through the same changes, but ours was a bit more abrupt- I was confident that Purdue would have 20-21 wins before the season...but after watching my Boilers play in person, I quickly became wise to the fact that this Purdue team was no where near a Purdue team that we've become accustomed to.

Gone was the one guy who would step up when needed.

Gone was the continuity.

Gone was the defense.

Gone was the spark.

Gone was the hustle.

The absence of hustle made my assessment easy.  We all knew Purdue would struggle to learn how to play again. I mean, when you lose pillars of a program, it happens.  BUT, I thought aloud that since there were so many healthy young guys, this team would be indoctrinated into Painter's idea of sacrificing skin on your elbows for the sake of the team.

Instead, these guys liked to watch loose balls bounce around until they found an opponent's hands.  They didn't seem to love pestering their opponent with gnat-like annoying traits...but sagged off and mimicked a sleep walker.

Heck, even when they played hard, they could only do it for 20-30 minutes...then they'd lose interest and allow games to slip through their pillowy-soft grasp.

Not pretty, but it works.

A Matt Painter team without grit is like a boilerdowd post without analogies...it just doesn't work and no seems to be too interested in it.

BUT, a Matt Painter team with grit and toughness is familiar, inspired and a metaphorical symphony.

You typically don't see and hear fans bragging about the methodology of a timeout being called...but last night, DJ Byrd's timeout set the Twitterverse ablaze.  In a split second, after being shoved by an Illinis player, Byrd assessed the out of bounds line, the trajectory of the ball and the placement of the official in order to make a truly brilliant, game-saving timeout. Yes, I just typed that sentence.

After weeks upon weeks of Byrd scratching and clawing to be someone he simply is not, it clicked...in the form of a loose ball timeout.

Byrd IS NOT Smooge, or the Ostrich, CK3 or even Ryne Smith.  But I think he was trying to be all of those guys...all at one time...and it wasn't working. And since he was on the poster this season and was a Senior and had worked so hard in the off-season, I think he believed he and his game would transform into the number one option for Purdue in just one off-season.

But for Purdue to be consistently successful this season, David Jonathan Byrd will need to be a Leatherman, of sorts, this year.

The screw driver on a Leatherman doesn't work as well as a typical phillips or flat screw driver...but it does the job. The pliers are kind of uncomfortable in your hand because the handle has all of that crap in it, but it can still pull a nail out of a 2x4...and when in a pinch, you take this beast-of-burden tool and smack things around with it.  It's not as sleek and sexy as a Swiss Army Knife...it's more utilitarian.  It doesn't have a high-gloss surface, but a brushed, almost dull, finish.  Mine is gunked up with paint and dried glues and has battle scars from when I got myself into trouble, but only had a four year old as an assistant who didn't know what I needed when I asked for the hammer.  But dammit, that jack of some traits is a tool that's indispensable in the Bdowd household.

When Matty's Leatherman tries to be Ryne Smith, it doesn't really do the job-  He's not a pure shooter. When The Leatherman tries to be E'Twaun Moore, it really doesn't work either- he has a hard time creating space.  He's not quite big or skilled enough to be Hummel, not nuts enough to be Kramer...he's a different thing altogether.

15 points is a solid game versus a team ranked in the top-15...but none of the things Byrd did last night that were really important show up in the stat line...he made everybody else work better...and when his teammates needed a play the most, he made it.

Admittedly, I didn't want Byrd with the ball in his hands in the closing minutes as Illinois extended the pressure.  We all know that doesn't doesn't go well.  That's the time for Ronnie Johnson to do what he did last night- quickly evade swiping hands and get out of trouble.

The leading scorer had a monster stat line: 25pts, 9 reb and 4ast...but Terone Johnson is no DJ Byrd.

Not pretty, but it works.

Last night, the kid from Crawfordsville finally helped his team play a game that we all thought they were capable of playing, and did it in utilitarian, workmanlike fashion.

Byrd and his teammates all accepted their roles last night, and the end result was their first complete game and their first win versus a quality opponent of the season. Will  they all be able to know their roles come Saturday in East Lansing?

Boilers Get Back to .500 Before Heading Into B1G

Purdue probably didn't schedule the ninth-best team in the CAA, at Mackey, just before the conference schedule began, in an effort to get a challenge...but they got a pretty good test anyway on Saturday afternoon.

William and Mary entered the game at 7-3...not a bad record.  But, none of their wins came against the top-275 in the RPI. But the fact that the Tribe isn't a great team didn't stop them from really wanting a victory on Keady Court.

The game started out well for our Boilers- Purdue had a 7 point lead in the first 4.5 minutes.  But after a timeout by W&M, the game quickly became a back-and-fourth contest.  At one point in the final 15minutes of the first half, Purdue had a six-point lead...but quickly, they relinquished it by allowing open three pointers.

What typically defines Painter-coached teams- hustle, gritty effort and stubborn defense hasn't been easy to find this season...and that was the case again versus W&M.  After the game, Painter noted that giving up a six unanswered points in a few minutes isn't a good thing...but giving up a six point lead in 30 seconds has become the norm for his squad.

Purdue's opponent seemed to out-Purdue our Boilers- they were enthusiastic, opportunistic, energetic and just seemed to want the game more...especially in the first 30 minutes.  That's pretty tough for me as a fan to swallow; I'm sure it's unbearable for Matty to see.  But, these guys are his guys...and the state of this team rests on his shoulders.

On message boards and Twitter alike, Purdue fans seem to be arguing amongst themselves about how patient we need to be.  It's true that rebuilding seasons happen, even in the best programs, every 5-7 seasons. And I also think that while this teams woes are based largely on recruiting misses a few years ago, Painter has obviously earned some leniency.  But it's pretty clear to see that there are simply some missing pieces to this team that cannot be found on the current roster.

A consistent threat from the outside, A solid second option at point guard, an experienced first option at point guard, a defensive stopper or even a guy that simply plays like his hair is ablaze would all be welcomed additions at this point.

Lawson's shot-blocking ability and overall energy seem nearly-contagious, RonJohn's on-ball defense shows signs of being difference-making and Davis' ability to attack the basket and follow shots is much needed in an offense that seems to be based primarily on standing around and watching guys miss bunnies.

But, this defense, regardless of who is playing rotates extremely-slowly as if they don't fully grasp what to do when the ball reverses.  The end result over and over again is a late-arriving double or triple team...and a subsequent kick out that becomes an inevitable open three pointer.  This is why six and seven point leads are no where near enough cushion for this team.

At one time not-too-long-ago, a seven to ten point lead for a Painter-coached team was like a 15-20 point lead for the average team.  But those teams didn't rely on four Freshman to play 15, 20 or more minutes/game.

Poor defense followed by bad shot selection on the other side of the court is a putrid mix.  The recipe leads to not being able to hold a lead...or worse, being down for most of a contest.

Today though, that wasn't the case.  Purdue finished the overmatched Tribe off and won 73-66.  After being outfought for much of the game, shooting horribly from outside and being down at the half in both points and rebounds, Purdue finished the contest strong.

AJ Hammons, who fought through double teams for much of the game, finished with 14 points, 6 rebounds and a block. TJohn led Purdue with 16 points, 4 rebounds and 5 assists. His brother might have played his most complete game to date with 11 points, 5 rebounds, 7 assists, 3 steals and just two turnovers. Byrd had 8, 5 and 2 and looked like he might get hot from distance early on...but wasn't able to get on a tear from behind the arc.

Byrd had a couple of effort plays that got the crowd into the game...and Lawson's blocks stoked the defense-starved Mackey crowd to a bit of a roar. I think Purdue faithful can deal with losses more-easily than watching a team that seems apathetic at times. Tonight, although the effort was inconsistent, Purdue showed some fight in the closing minutes and earned a victory.  Regardless of whom they come against, during this season, wins should be savored.

Not that it changes anything about Purdue's team this season, but the BTN once again neglected to air today's home game on TV...and the game was webcasted on EsPN3.

A few years ago, when the fledgling network was fighting for subscribers and carriers, they promised that each home B1G basketball game would be on TV.  Now that they have more sponsors than Rotel and Barbasol, an additional member of the conference and nearly every major cable company in the nation has picked them up, they've decided to relegate Purdue (and others) on the interwebnets.

Screw the BTN.  I'd take Raycom, at this point.

Purdue fans that complained to Comcast, ATT, Time Warner, and others were rooked into believing that they'd get to see their Boilers play their games on TV on the BTN.  Hopefully BTN doesn't expand onto the airwaves and take Cliz from the Purdue faithful that still have the gall to want to follow the games live without another fee atop of their already-exorbitent cable bill.

If I sound like an angry old man, that's because I am one.

Boilers Beat Ball 66-56

Mackey was the most-empty that I remember in years last night...and hardly anyone tuned into the game's tele-webcast on EsPN3...and it's a good thing.  This game wasn't for fans of college basketball, per se...but that didn't stop H&R's Travis and I to stay for the entire contest- we sat near each other up in the vast expanse that was upper Mackey Arena on Tuesday night.

It started out promising as Purdue raced out to a 6-0 lead in the first three minutes...but quickly, Purdue's sloppy defense and inability to consistently shoot caught up with them and the game became a back-and-fourth contest.  Purdue kind of kept the Cardinals at an arm's length for much of the game, but with just eight minutes left, Purdue had lost the lead as Ball State's guards hit three after three to change the complexion of the game.

As BSU sunk threes, Purdue refused to shoot from the outside.  In fact, Byrd's three 3-pointers were the only shots hit by the Boilers from long distance all game...and Purdue only shot eight of them.  While it was great to see Byrd with a mini-streak of made shots from distance, it was very easy to see that Purdue had no intention, or ability for that matter, to shoot from the outside.

Purdue ran early, but seemed to be unable to stick with that idea...and what ended up winning the game for the Boilers was Ball State's porous defense that allowed Purdue to drive and score from around 5-7 feet time and again.  In fact, I'm convinced that had BSU simply played a tightly-packed zone, Purdue would have been in serious trouble...but one thing BSU didn't seem to do is think the game well.  They didn't react to Purdue's unwillingness to shoot outside...and they weren't any smarter on offense.

Time and again BSU's bigs would make a move to get around their defender only to lose the ball on the way to the basket or throw it against the bottom of the rim.

The repeated mistakes in the lane and sloppy turnovers away from the basket by Ball State coupled with Purdue's offense, that probably set college basketball back 30 years, made this one tough to watch.

It was uglier than this photo.

Sarcastic cheering throughout the small crowd was the norm during the game.  Plus an odd disagreement between the officials on a charge/block call led to a dead ball, all three on-court officials and the table official to discuss the matter made this game even uglier.

Hammons took advantage of the Cardinals very un-skilled bigs, scoring 15, and adding five rebounds and three blocks.  RonJohn had 11 points, two rebounds, five assists and two steals...but added three TOs. His defense was what was most-noteworthy for me though- he made life pretty difficult for whoever ran the point for Ball State, especially as the game was close around the 7/8 minute mark of the second half. TJohn had 14 points, three rebounds, four assists and a steal...and while he struggled from outside the lane, he willed in a few shots in traffic, with contact, that were important. Byrd's 11 points and three rebounds were solid- he didn't force the issue. Lawson cleaned and shined the glass to the tune of 11 boards to go along with a couple rebounds and blocks.

The Davis magic wasn't there as he went 0-3 from the court...badly missing a three from the corner to start his game...playing only nine minutes in the game. Hale came back from injury and looked rusty, missing shots on three-straight possessions.  AJ's 18 minutes were extremely quiet...and Carroll was steady in the 10 minutes he played.

On message boards and Twitter, some Purdue fans hoped/wished that the second half of the UND game was a turning point of sorts for this Purdue team.  Davis would become the key cog for the Boilers, the tempo would be up and Purdue would get back to its roots of playing hard defense and simply winning.  Well, our Boilers beat BSU...but after that, there's not a ton of evidence that this team took a big step forward.

By the way- that generally doesn't happen in sports...especially for really young teams.  They grow up slowly and sometimes painfully.  But, Matty had his pups take what was given to them Tuesday night as they forced the issue in the lane ad nauseaum and Ball State just refused to do anything about.

This game had all of the MACtion I could take for a season...mercifully, there will be no more.  When Purdue lost the lead, I wondered aloud when the last time a Purdue team had lost twice to MAC foes in one season...thankfully, I didn't have to look that up before posting this.

And after Purdue's third six day or longer break of the season, the Boilers will welcome the Tribe of William and Mary to Mackey on December 29th.  Despite what some are saying, William and Mary isn't very good...they have no quality wins and a really bad loss.  So Purdue should be able to pull back to .500 before welcoming the new-look (read as very good) Illini to Mackey to start conference play.

Boilers Hang On at Iowa: 79-76

After a week off, Purdue traveled to Iowa to begin the B1G schedule.  Iowa's transition-based offense had  been in rhythm the last three games, all wins, as Iowa scored 82 points twice and 105 once...and early on, the pace favored Iowa.

With the collapses of the Butler and Xavier losses in the front of his mind, Painter clearly was trying to keep Hummel and Jackson as fresh as possible for the closing minutes.  Purdue's lead stayed around 6-8 points for much of the first half.  But in the second half, the game got tighter as Iowa tied it twice and kept it within 5 points for most of the last 20 minutes.  But, the Hawkeyes couldn't get over the hump.  When they punched, Purdue had an answer...and much of the time, the answer came from unusual places like Byrd, Barlow or Lawson...but in the end, Hummel closed out the Hawkeyes with a few key rebounds and hitting his last four free throws; something Purdue has struggled with all season.

In the first half, Purdue had 30 points off the bench.  Most-notably, DJ Byrd and John Hart both had 8 points...and looked as if they completely expected such a performance.  Hart finished with an efficient 8 points in just 11 minutes...and looked very good shooting the three.  Byrd scratched and clawed his way to 14 points, 2 assists and a steal in 22 minutes.  Perhaps he's finally healthy...or maybe it was just a good night. Regardless, it was not only great to see, but absolutely needed.

Tim Doyle was on color for this game...so I watched large chunks of it on mute.  But honestly, I was just happy that BTN was able to broadcast video alllllllll the way from Iowa. That's good of them.

The most interesting point in the game by far was following an assist from AJ to Hummel, Rob looked like he wanted to punch AJ in the face...so did Matty on the timeout...and Coach Shrewsberry didn't look too happy with the RS Frosh either. I went back and watched the play and deduced that AJ missed a screen and wasn't moving on offense and tried to say it was Hummel's fault as they walked off the court...I guess.  Whatever it is, it's something to watch.  I don't think I've ever seen something like that on a Painter team.

In the closing minutes, it had the feel of the Butler game- Iowa looked fresh, motivated and quick, Purdue looked sluggish as if they were just gutting the game out.  And when Iowa's Gatens hit a three that made it a three point game with :49 seconds left, I had that not-so-confident feeling.  I'm positive that crept into the minds of the squad as well.

But as they had for much of the night, Purdue answered.  This time it was Barlow who finished close to the basket. He finished with a quiet 12 points, 2 rebounds and a steal...but played smart and tough for much of the game.  LewJack seemed to end most possessions on the floor. He struggled to stay in control at times and was clearly wincing at times.  He finished with 6 points and 4 assists; but turned it over 3 times.

Lawson started again as Marcius stayed home with the calf injury.  He finished with just four points, but had 5 rebounds...and as usual, foul concerns kept him out of the game- he only played 14 minutes.  Carroll played a quiet 17 minutes and looked more resolute at times, but had 0 rebounds. Ryne Smith struggled from behind the arc, going 1-5.  He finished with 5 points and 5 rebounds.  TJohn continued his frosty free throw shooting going 0-2.  I don't think it's going to change this season, but he must make free throws as he seems to be at his best in traffic...and that game will draw fouls.

Iowa is not a great team...but they're well coached; a lot like Butler.  Unlike the somewhat-friendly crowd at Conseco, there were no Purdue fans at this one and Purdue held on to a much-needed road win.  Purdue's ability to get good looks and drive made the difference in this one.  It's clear that the FT woes are here to stay, sadly.  I think the immense amount of points that our Boilers are leaving on the floor will mount up and sting badly as Hightower and Co. get into midseason form while the Boilers travel.

Next up, the Forces of Good return home for a New Year's Eve Celebration v. Illinois.  The party will be televised on EsPN2 at 4:00.  Everyone in attendance is invited to Burke's office for punch and to watch the ball drop.

The Scale: Little Caesars Bowl

"The Scale" is an easily-digested, overly-simplified post-game synopsis from Boiled Sports.

Slumping Boilers Slide to 4-0

I watched Purdue's game this afternoon in Puerto Rico versus Temple...and later, saw highlights of the game and the score on EsPN.  The really funny thing about the coverage is that it didn't seem to match the scoreboard.

The Forces of Good beat the Temple Owls 85-77 in a wild game in which Purdue showed some defense (unlike the last contest). But the defensive prowess that has struck fear into Boiler opponents over the last few seasons is not on par with the offense...but the good news is the offense seems pretty formidable, and has shown plenty of different weapons thus far.

Today, it was LewJack's turn to lead the way, but it didn't start off that way.

The always lousy, Doug Gottlieb, started the game noting that Jackson would struggle against the large Temple guards...and he wasn't very effective on the offensive end...for a half.

But the Little Man's disease that Lewis (and I) have suffered through our entire lives woke him up in the the second half, and he went crazy.   Not only was he effective on the drive, which we're accustomed to, but he also created his shot well from the mid-range with mastery and had a couple fade-aways with defenders in his face that were beauteous.  When the game was over, Jackson had 26 points, hit 10 of 11 fieldgoals (I believe all were in the second half), along with three assists and a steal.  His previous career high was 19.

Big Shot Rob was solid, but quiet once again- had 20 points (one below his season average) but only had a handful of points in the second half seemingly giving the floor to the hot-handed Jackson.  He also got back on track from the free throw line, going 6-6...along with six rebounds.

Purdue had the lead for much of the game, but wasn't able to put a ton of space between themselves and the Owls...and when the lead would flex to 7 or 8 points, Temple would fight their way back into the game, but the competitive nature of the game wasn't what made the game riveting.

In the first half, the refs were letting the teams play and not using their whistles a whole lot. But when Ryne Smith received an elbow that landed on the throat and chin from a Temple forward, the officials changed their style for the next half. The result was a second half that left both teams at the free throw time and time again.  And what was the bugaboo for Matty's squad in the last couple games was a saving grace in this one.  Purdue went 24 for 25 from the stripe in the second half after going 3 for 8 in the first.

Kelsey Barlow got involved in the whistle-happy action (predictably).  After Temple guard, Fernandez fouled Barlow (his fourth foul), Barlow threw the ball into Fernandez's chest, so he returned the favor.  It earned both a technical foul...subsequently, Fernandez's fifth foul.

Minutes later, Temple's starting center also fouled out and it looked like Purdue would win going away...but Temple's Moore kept it close by scoring as Purdue guards couldn't deter him down the stretch.

In spite of Moore's game-high 27 point, the good guys will be playing Bama ('banana') or Witchita State on Sunday night at 8:00 pm on EsPN2.

I know the nation doesn't really doesn't care about lil' ole Purdue...and Purdue is surely damned if they lose, but still damned if they don't win with enough style to please the pundits.  But I like some of what I'm seeing and think progress is being made.  We've said it since last Spring- this team will be good this season, but has a lot of learning to do in the coming weeks and months. And right now, I think they're doing just that.

Positive PR: Boilers Win Nail Biter v. Iona 91-90

Not at the game

In the Caribbean the warm breezes and beautiful views force you to take a deep breath and just take it easy...usually, you visit the islands to get away from your fast-paced life back home and rest.  That wasn't the case on this business trip for Matty and Co.

In previous season's under Painter, hard-nosed, low-scoring, grind-it-out victories have been the norm for The Forces of Good.  But for the second time this season, this Purdue team has scored over 90 points...and this time, the allowed 90.

Iona is a squad that won 25 games last season.  They have a player named Glover who is on the Naismith watch list who averaged nearly 20 pts/game and over 10 rebounds. On top of that, they have a guard named Lamont "MoMo" Jones who started his college career in Arizona after being a 4-star recruit out of high school. Jones started for the 'Cats last season averaging 9/2 and was granted an NCAA hardship exception after transferring to be closer to his Grandma.  After these two, the Gaels were comprised of a bunch of fast, athletic players who look to run at every chance, and today was no exception.

If Purdue missed a three, Iona used the long rebound as an opportunity to start a fast break. If the Boilers made an errant pass, they'd pay with a fast break attempt...thankfully, Purdue didn't have a ton (7) of turnovers, and at the same time, forced 12.

Rob Hummel had a generally-quiet game...he'd go long streaks without getting the chance to get involved on offense, but he finished with a team-high 24 points, 9 rebounds, 2 assists and a block.  He looked frustrated a bit in this game at times too, but nowhere near how he looked v. High Point.  Plus, with his squad down by 2 points and just seconds left, Hummel hit a sizable three to give Purdue a one-point lead that they held until the end of the contest.

Ryne Smith started the game where he left off in the last game hitting big three after three in the first half.  He finished with 15 points (5-6 from three), and maybe just as importantly, filled the sheet with 3 rebounds, 3 assists and 3 steals...one down the stretch that helped Purdue win.  But, like his fellow Senior and 90% free throw shooter, he didn't hit a charity shot- he went 0-2 while Hummel only shot one free throw (0-1).

LewJack matched up well with the athletic Gaels using his quickness time and time again to drive past Iona's different defensive looks. He finished with 17 points, 3 rebound, 3 assists and 2 steals, while only turning the ball over once.  He got into foul trouble about mid-way through the second half...or his numbers would have looked a bit better.  Where LewJack looked very plebeian in the last game, this afternoon, he looked more like what we expected- he was clearly one of the quickest players on the court, with and without the ball, and Iona had a very difficult time matching up with him. Plus, unlike most of the Boilers, he shot his freethrows well, finishing 4-5.

Barlow played with flashes of brilliance one second and made maddening decisions a few seconds later...or in other words, was himself.  When he's in the right frame of mind, he's tough on both ends- making good passes and fighting through defense with contact.  But, he took some ill-advised deep shots that Iona took advantage of (above).  He did have arguably, one of the most-important shots of the game-  After a first half in which Purdue struggled to stay close, Barlow nailed a half-court jumper that looked smooth and effortless as if it was 15 feet...it tied the contest at 50.  He finished with 14 points, 7 rebounds,  4 assists and 2 steals.

Hummel, Carroll and Lawson had the tough task of guarding Glover and they held him in check most of the game.  Carroll didn't make a ton of noise offensively, but was pretty solid doing the dirty work- In 24 minutes he had 2 points, 6 rebounds and two steals.  Lawson seemed to gain Painter's trust during the game since his quickness and leaping ability helped him match up.  He finished with 3 points and 5 rebounds...but didn't get official credit for a steal at the end of the game that he quickly turned into two points.  He also seemed to look more sure of himself and his role as the game wore on.

Byrd returned from the last game when he didn't play one minute to play six generally-quiet minutes. But, one of the most-tenuous moments of the game was when Iona's Ridley threw a high elbow into Byrd with just a few minutes left in the first half...Byrd jumped up and got into Ridley's face before walking away...EsPN moron analyst, Doug Gottlieb said it was a play that should have been allowed as it's part of the game for a player to clear space after a rebound...the problem is the guy was trying to clear space above his own shoulders which NO ONE is coached to do because it doesn't protect the ball.  Ridley looked like he might take the game over until Lawson began bodying him up and playing physical with him.

Marcius only played two minutes as he didn't seem to match up well with the quick frontcourt of Iona. AJ and TJohn had solid days- In 16 minutes, AJ had 8 points, 3 rebounds an assist and steal.  TJohn, played 20 minutes, had 6 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists and a steal.

If you didn't get to see this one and are worried because Purdue played another tight game versus a non-AQ conference foe, don't think that there's a trend happening here.  Make no mistake, this was a different game all-together.  High Point played a packed-in zone that Purdue didn't seem willing to test as the good guys hung around the three point line.  This game, Iona played a full-court press, man-to-man, match-up zone and standard 2-3...and Purdue did a great job, at least on the offensive side of the court handling the different looks and staying under control.

The old halfcourt defense that we became accustomed to in the past few years is no where to be found simply because JJ isn't in the lane to clean up the mess...and Kramer's been gone for a few years.  Lawson showed a bit of why he shouldn't be redshirting this season, especially on the defensive end of the floor and might take more and more minutes, depending on the situation. At the same time, TJohn, Hummel and LewJack are still working their way up to full lung capacity; and it'll happen in the next few weeks...but today showed some good things in that Purdue can run if they need to, and once again finished out a game they could have lost.  The only really bothersome part of today was how Purdue missed a ton of free throws down the stretch, leaving 9 points on the floor and only shooting 55%.  Plus, they're not drawing enough fouls on the drive, in my opinion.

I think playing, and winning, close games like this, especially this early in the season is a big positive- This game kind of reminded me of the Richmond game last season and that didn't end well, but at least today did.

Next up, Purdue will play Temple tomorrow at 1:00, again on EsPNU.

Forces of Good Right the Ship and Beat the Ranked Gophers, 73-61

Tiny Boilerdowd got to see her first Purdue basketball game today and she brought home the victory. This was a Big Ten-style game- big bodies, physical basketball, horrible officiating, good defense and good shooting from deep. Here are a couple of things I took away from the game.

-Patrick Bade playing like everyone knew he could.

Bade played 20 very good minutes and only had one mistake that was of note. He filled space on defense while guarding some large bodies and on offense set some great picks and was active away from the ball. He finished with 2 points, 5 rebounds, 1 assist, 1 steal and 1 block. But really, the stats aren't important. What is paramount is that he was very important and to the rotation was prepared to play. Hats off, Patrick!

-JJ was JJ.

Johnson was bottled up for the first 7 minutes or so. But the end of the first half and the beginning of the second half were simply owned by 25. It's no coincidence that Purdue got the lead and put some space between themselves and the Gophers during this juncture. My favorite moment of the night was win JJ rebounded a missed shot deep in under the basket and put down and angry dunk. We love to see him when resolute...and at that point, he seemed pretty sick and tired of being beaten up by the Gophers bigs. At the 13 minute mark, JJ had 20 points. He ended up playing the full 40 minutes.

-Waking the sleeping Ryno.

Ryne Smith hadn't really 'gone off' for a few games, and this game started off as other recent contests had ended- with Smith just a bit off from long distance. But, the new Ryne Smith that Purdue fans have grown accustomed to, doesnt' let a couple of missed shots keep him from affecting the game. After the cold start, he hit three straight and helped put the game out of reach for our Boilers. Atop of 15 points, he grabbed 4 boards, 3 assists, 2 steals and 0 turnovers. Plus, he guarded Blake Hoffarber for much of the night and kept him from doing what he did to the Boilers in Minneapolis.

I got to talk to Ryne after the game and he told me that this game was the first, in high school or college, in which he pulled himself out. After the game, he told me he felt, "a little beaten up."

Relentless high screens by Minnesota's bigs, three officials who refused to blow their whistles and Minnesota's guards running curl after curl after curl around the arch all contributed to Smith's post-game condition.

LewJack is one of the many good guys on Purdue's team who took time to talk to LBD after the game

-LewJack City.

Tubby thought that if he took away the driving lanes from Lew, he'd be rendered ineffective. Guess not. As Minny's guards shaded off of Jackson, he made them pay. After hitting three-straight threes, he cooled a bit, but the game was already changed as his hot shooting softened up the Gophers' zone so JJ could take over. LewJack finished with 13 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists and a steal.

-Smooge struggles a bit.

E'Twaun Moore didn't play like I thought he might coming into the game. With Nolen out, I thought Purdue's guards would have more opportunity to get free. But as Smooge (and others) drove, especially deep into the zone, the officials simply wouldn't send the Boilers to the fould line.

He got some good looks from outside too, but ended up shooting 3-13 from the field. But, as always, when his shot's not falling, he still does damage. He tied JJ for the team-high 7 rebounds, had 3 assists and 2 blocked shots, on the defensive side of the court.

-Supporting Cast

DJ Byrd knocked down a few big threes after figuring out how to create space. Minnesota's Mbakwe chased him out on the wings and made him think twice on more than one occasion. He started the game as Matty went big from the get-go (Jackson, Moore, Byrd, Johnson, Carroll). The Byrdman finished with 6 points, 3 assists in 17 minutes.

Carroll didn't have a ton of production (sorry J). But, he had a resolute drop step into the lane early in the game that was very impressive...and might be a glimpse of what we'll see in coming seasons.

Barlow had a couple of rebounds and assists...but pestered Minnesota's guards in the 10 minutes he was in the game. And TJohn finished with 2 points, 2 rebounds and an assist in a quiet 11 minutes.

Good Win

In spite of losing Nolen two games ago, Minnesota looked pretty good, even short-handed. The Smiths (Tubby and Saul) had the Gophers playing well and used their size play a brutally-tough packed zone early in the game. Perhaps they ran out of gas, but regardless of why they couldn't stay with Purdue the stretch, Matty and Co. owed them one (or two) and this win was important. It also helped the team put the aOSU collapse behind them.

Two really important stats are that the Boilers shot free throws well (77%) and won the rebounding battle for the first time in a few games (35-30).

Next up, Purdue plays at Wisconsin in three days. Ryan will have them ready to play as they're coming off of a close loss to PSU.

Nation's Elite Struggling

Here are the teams in front of Purdue that have also lost in the last week:

Pittsburgh, San Diego State, UConn, Villanova, Syracuse (twice) and BYU.

Plus, Texas and Mizzou play later tonight...so one of them also has to lose. That means (including Purdue), 9 of the top-13 teams in the land will have lost by the end of this evening. Six of those losses came today.

Purdue's Computer Composite Ranking was 11th at the start of the day. Who knows what it will be tomorrow. But our Boilers might have picked a pretty good week to lose in the fashion they did (if there can be such a week). We'll see on Monday afternoon.

Boilers Escape Blacksburg With a Win 58-55

As the closing minutes wound down in regulation, Lil' Boilerdowd assured me, "They're gonna win...they won't lose two in a row." The wisdom of a four year old proved correct as he and JJ seemingly willed them to victory in a hostile environment in the BT/ACC challenge. This was only Painter's second victory in overtime while at Purdue.

Once the clock hit 0:00 for the third time of the night, the Big Ten had a commanding 6-3 lead with only the Duke/MSU game left on the docket. Northwestern, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, aOSU and Purdue are all victors, at this point. For those keeping score at home (disregard this, EsPN), the BT has won two-straight of these made for TV extravaganzas.

But Purdue's portion of the pie was made difficult by lousy shooting. JJ made more field goals than the rest of the entire team...and shot at a higher percentage as well. He went 11/24...everybody else, 10/34.

T. Johnson and Smooge both fed the beast and finished with four assists. Moore finished with 14 points as well, but was struggling all night to find rhythm. VaTech's guard-heavy line-up and zone defense proved difficult for Purdue to counter...and the fact that Purdue players who weren't wearing #25 simply couldn't shoot only compounded Matty's squad's usual problems v. zone defense.

This game was similar to the Richmond game in the fact that Purdue struggled scoring the basketball. But, it was much different in the way Purdue played defensively. But, our Boilers were once again out-rebounded handily...tonight by 13.

But this game might be easier to figure out than Richmond. While JJ was dominant, finishing with 29 points in 44 minutes, Purdue's other bigs only totaled 6 minutes- Bade and Marcius played 3 each, Carroll didn't play. The good news of course, is that JJ scored at will, especially in the first half when he decided to post up. The bad news is he went away from that for minutes at a time and forced 18-plus footers regularly...he went 1/4 from behind the arc.

Byrd who finished with 8 rebounds, led our Boilers on the glass. He played tough defense and played through a stinger of some sort after taking a moving screen to the shoulder late in the second half. Knight (who was doing color for the game) spoke of how the shoulder injury took Byrd completely out of the offensive flow...but he didn't think that hurt Purdue as DJ was 0-5 from the field.

Barlow played great on defense and helped to hold Delaney, VT's lead scorer 12 points below his average. Jackson had an efficient day offensively going 2/2 and finishing with 5 points. But, unlike in the previous game, he looked sound defensively and made very good decisions with the ball.

This game felt a bit like the Alabama game last season...but, unlike the 'Bama team, VaTech had a crew of clowns on their bench that acted like they were playing their way into the Final Four tonight...on multiple occasions, the ref had to get them in their seats and off of the court. Atop of the exuberant bench, the crowd was lathered up. In fact, it felt like a fight might break out in the second half and VaTech really wanted it and things got a bit chippy a couple of times. The Hokies needed to avoid their third loss of the season, but couldn't because JJ was so dominant.

While I was glad Johnson was back to playing with a purpose, I'm still bothered by Moore's lack of production...but even moreso, at this point, the overall lack of shot-making ability by the rest of Matty's squad is just painful. Purdue's offense versus zone defenses has been shaky even going back to Keady's era...but these Boilers seem to settle for the three pointer waaaaay too often. And that's especially bad since they don't shoot it well.

This win was important for a number of reasons, but this team is clearly a work in progress and needed it. The depth we saw in the early seasons has all but evaporated- Painter doesn't seem to have enough faith in the big men to play them except in tiny spurts. And the backcourt, outside of Moore, can't score when they face solid defense.

Terone Johnson, John Hart and DJ Byrd have to score for Purdue to have a chance to stay near the top of the league. And more than just one guy has to rebound with a purpose. Let's Hope Purdue doesn't keep listening to the media's perpetual reminders that Hummel is the only person on the roster capable of doing these things...but it kinda seems like that's exactly what they believe. By the way, unlike scoring, rebounding is a choice...the scoring will come, in my opinion, if Purdue starts banging a bit more.

Next up, Alabama comes to Mackey on Saturday afternoon.

Party like it's 1999.... + 1.... again

It was the year 2000. The future had arrived. It was also the last time that the Boilermakers beat the Ohio State and Michigan football teams in the same year. Now we can add 2009 to that list, and even better, we can cross of 1966 as the last time Purdue won at the Big House.

I don't even know where to begin with this one. It was a very exciting game. There was some great trickeration. Lots of laterals. A bad call on a muffed punt to give the ball to Michigan and a marginal call to give Purdue the ball on a forward lateral.

Joey Elliott was 28-for-39 for 367 yards and two touchdowns with another on the ground. Brandon Minor was a beast for Michigan. Bolden had nearly 100 yards on the ground and the Smith Bros. combined for nearly 170 receiving. Throw in a sprinkling of Carson Wiggs with a great left hook and what do you get? A nice win and another very confounded Purdue fan. It's hard not to be frustrated and think of what might have been. Wins against Oregon and Notre Dame and they're unexpectedly bowling. Instead, it's ups and downs all season.

At the same time, it's really hard not to be encouraged. Losing horribly last week and winning at Michigan in consecutive weeks. The team has heart. There's no doubt about that.

Purdue-OSU Video Highlights and Happy Coach Hope

For those who didn't see how it went down -- or for anyone who wants to relive it in four minutes -- click here for the story and video from the BTN, which finishes with an interview with Coach Hope, in which he repeatedly mentions how happy he is for the students.

We all love one another again. Hugs all around.

It's about time

Purdue forced some breaks and took advantage of some others. The miscues were there, but finally the West Lafayette All Black Unis beat a top 25 team.

It does feel good to let out some steam that had been building up. Purdue made Pryor look like a totally average quarterback. The question now is when will aOSU turn him into a running back or wide out? He just doesn't have the skills necessary to be a drop back passer.

Blah, blah, blah. What matters is a win. This should do wonders for the team's morale, and hopefully they can rattle off a few more wins in the upcoming weeks, but today, let's savor the victory because it's been a long time coming.

Now let's see a double dose with a USC victory tonight!

Big Ten- E'Twaun Moore, Mr. Moore, meet the Big Ten

I had a friend who's an IU fan make fun of my defense of E'Twaun Moore at about game ten of Purdue's basketball season. At that time IU's Eric Jordan was lighting every opponent up for 30 points and the Hoosiers were shredding their opponents each and every game. At the same time, Purdue was struggling, and the jewel of the Purdue Frosh class looked confused and a half-step too slow. My friend asked me to "let him know how that goes for me..." as the season progresses.

Well, it's going quite well. 'Twaun is starting to hit his stride. Each game, it looks like he's understanding the speed of the college game a bit more. The Fighting Illini allowed an average of barely over 60 points per game. Painter's club scored 83 points on the road v. his mentor, thanks in large part to a seven-minute stretch of offense by Moore and a defensive effort that was flat-out great.

Purdue had yet another lousy start...then got in a heap of foul trouble. Hummel & Calasan both were forced to the bench...Without a signification present in the interior, Big Biz Markie (aka Pruitt) was going crazy once again on the Boilers. Marcus Green provided a spark as the Boilers took the lead with about 11 minutes left in the first half...they hung on to the lead despite good runs by the Illini and in the second half it started getting close with Hummel & Nemanja on the bench yet again. E'Twaun decided to leave no doubt scoring 16 points in a 7 minute span including 10 of 12 Purdue points in one period. He shot from the perimeter, finished underneath and later hit a few free throws.

I'm extemely impressed with this win...maybe more than the Wisconsin win. Why? It's on the road. Nothing was going Purdue's way for much of the game (Grant wasn't shooting well and Robbie "the glue" Hummel was forced out with foul trouble...and Illinois was hitting nearly all of its free throws). But instead of folding on the road, the don't-know-better-Boilers simply just played hard defense and out-hustled a team that doesn't take minutes off. Oh, and by the way, my formula (someone must score 20) continues to work with only one exception this BT season.

Now, at least for a few hours, Purdue sits alone atop the Big Ten at 8-1 (thanks to our pals in Happy Valley). The Boilers have broken the RPI top-50 for the first time all season (they were 100+ as recently as a bit over two weeks ago)...I don't think they'll be ranked come Monday; and I like it that way. Regardless of national respect or publicity, this Purdue team is damned good.

Next up, the newly-confident Nittany Lions for a night cap in West Lafayette on Tuesday.