Another Prediction...Another Slap in the Face

The Underdog.

If you watched Purdue's basketball team this past season, you know at times it was tough to watch.  It's been well-publicized that this team was hobbled coming into the season and didn't get healthy until February, and it showed.  Two of the three captains couldn't practice at all for months at a time and two more of the top-5 scorers slogged through injuries that kept them from playing the game they way they did down the stretch.  On top of that, a guy that was as divisive as talented had to be given the boot for the team to have cohesiveness.

These aren't excuses, in fact, they're testaments to Painter's ability...because in spite of all of this...in spite of Purdue having no post presence for much of the season, in a conference that has serious beef under the basket, Purdue still made the tournament and still won 20+ games.

Because of this...because of what we've seen Painter do during his time at Purdue, I'm bewildered by the media's view on his team for the coming season.

Here at BS, we like BTN's Brent Yarina.  He researches his subject matter and generally knows what he's talking about.  But he got his premature conference prediction wrong...and Purdue isn't the only reason why. The moving parts around our Boilers are flawed, yet, by his own admission via Twitter, he believes all seven teams above Purdue in his predicto got better while Purdue didn't.

Let's look a bit at his reasons why he likes everyone in the conference except Purdue, shall we?

2012-13 PROJECTED STANDINGS
1. Indiana – The entire starting 5 is back, plus IU welcomes one of the nation’s top recruiting classes.

I really have no beef with this one.  While I don't respect Crean as a game coach, his ability to get talent to IU has been astoundingly-effective. As Thad Matta will tell you, talent doesn't need much coaching.

2. Michigan – Trey Burke’s return makes Michigan a national contender — leadership is lone issue.

Michigan loses three starters...glue guys, if you will.  Novak started for three years, was a clutch shooter, an intense defender, a coach on the floor, and was all B1G Honorable Mention (and looked like Christian Laettner).  Douglass never missed a game at UM, was a great shooter and Smotrycz started the majority of the games and created tough a tough match-up with his ability to play low and high. Leadership will be an issue as Yarina said...but so will consistency.

3. Ohio State – Deshaun Thomas and Aaron Craft could become one of the Big Ten’s elite duos.

I agree with Thomas and Craft being a great tandem...but losing a guy who was one of the nation's best for one season and one of the conference's best in his Soph season might change a team a bit.  On top of that, aOSU's offense relied heavily on Sully's ability to clear space and their offense ran through him. Most-interestingly, unlike most of Yarina's favorites, the Buckeyes have an incoming class of ZERO (at this point.

4. Minnesota – Trevor Mbakwe joins a talented and underrated roster that clicked down the stretch.

Mbakwe is a guy who is as talented as any power forward in the nation...reminds me a lot of Kansas' Robinson, but with baggage off the court. So when a guy like that blows out his knee, I think it might be fair to think his explosiveness could be effected; Our pal at BTN doesn't think it matters.  He also thinks that a team that lost 7 of its last 10 B1G contests clicked down the stretch. Oh wait, they did...but when playing teams like LaSalle, MTSU and teams from the awful Pac12.

5. Wisconsin – The Badgers know how to replace star players, and history says they’ll do it again.

I think Wisconsin will actually be better than this.  Losing Taylor is tough, but it's the big honkies that have made Bo his dough...and UW will have plenty whitebreads cut from the Brian Butch mold next season.

6. Michigan State – How will MSU replace Draymond Green and will Branden Dawson be ready to go?

This is another team that I think will be better than Yarina thinks. Harris, Costello and Valentine will be immediate-impact guys...but Harris specifically will only make Nix better as Appling and Payne force themselves onto opposing defenses.

7. Iowa – Aaron White and Devyn Marble headline one of the Big Ten’s most exciting teams.

As we say last year with this team, excitement doesn't translate to wins...but I guess it will translate to more wins than Purdue, ammIright?

I think losing a four-year starter in Gatens is a pretty large deal to this team...but they'll be very dangerous.

8. Purdue – Without a proven big man or facilitator, the incoming recruits arrive with plenty of pressure.

I think his insinuation that Purdue's loss of Jackson will be important.  Sure it will, but the pair of Johnsons both played point last season...and if other teams get credit for their incoming classes, why doesn't Purdue? Three four star-rated players, three guys over 6'9" (one a 21 year old Frosh, another a 7 footer) and a point guard who has played against the most-talented state, in the hotbed of Indianapolis and shined.

I don't mind Purdue not being picked as a conference favorite.  BUT, to put a Matt Painter-coached, defense-first team in the lower third of the conference is worse than a slap in the face, it's foolish. Painter has won as an underdog before, and he'll do it again this season.

Yarina's post wasn't the first disrespectful shot across Painter and his squad's bow in the very-early pre-season...but it was the one from one of the guys that I consider a pretty-knowledgable writer from the network that focuses on the conference.  It warranted a response, not because it's wrong, but because of the source.

Yarina's right- the conference is getting better.  But why stop at eighth? Illinois has a hot name as coach and one of the best players in the league returning, Northwestern has two great players returning and a coach that runs a goofy offense that's tough to defend, and PSU has one of the best players in the conference back with a coach that shows his team's play will match his intensity.  Let's just make Purdue's fall from greatness noteworthy and colossal and place the Boilers at 11th in the league, what do you say? There's no doubt the league is good, but an eighth place prediction nearly says Purdue doesn't belong. 

Clowns like Goodman, Katz and others barely recognize that Purdue has a basketball team now that Hummel is no longer with the program.  But before Hummel was on campus, Painter devised a plan that allowed Purdue, with only two real scoring threats, no real point guard and a ton of lunchpail defense to win 22 games.  Before JJ was JJ, Purdue won 25 games while being led by Freshman and Sophomores...and last year, even with much of the starting line-up held out of practice and without anyone underneath who was formidable, Painter squeezed 22 wins out of a team.  The defense will be back to what we've become accustomed to in '12/'13...and Purdue will surprise Yarina, and others.

In '12-'13, Purdue, Painter and company will relish the underdog role...again.

Barlow out for Tourney

Barlow chokes his post-season away

Gold and Black is reporting that Kelsey Barlow is out for the NCAA tournament due to suspension.

Barlow is an important part of the rotation and would have surely been helpful versus longer, more athletic teams (read as Georgetown), especially on defense. While I was ecstatic with the idea of an angry Kelsey Barlow playing the trash talking Peacocks, I'm even more pleased that Painter has decided to hold up team rules regardless of the timing. I don't think many teams or coaches in America would make this decision, especially on the eve of the tourney. In fact, I know teams in the BT that wouldn't discipline their athletes for larger, more egregious errors.

Hats off to Matty. Note to Kelsey: Get your head screwed on straight...you'll be needed next season. Plus, Purdue fans love your killer instinct, your huge upside and the fact that you're widely-disliked around the league.

With every problem comes opportunity. So now, will it be Terone Johnson whose minutes will increase and production must increase as well? Will John Hart find his stroke and get back into the rhythm we saw earlier in the season? Regardless of whom steps up, someone...or multiple players have to make up for the 19+ minutes, 5 points and nearly 3 assists per game that #12 provided.

What's Next?

JJ towers above his peers**

Last night Matty and Co. cleaned up on BT Awards Night.

Of course JJ and Smooge were named as members of the All-Conference squads by both the media and the coaches, and Painter was given the COY Honors for the second-straight season. But there were some surprises.

The hotly-contested POY race between JJ, Sullinger and Taylor went to Johnson. I think everyone could see validity in any of these guys getting the award...but Purdue's #25 swept the coach's and media's polls. I was a bit surprised at that- I thought the coaches would give it to JJ and Sullinger would receive the media award since he's been a national media favorite since he got on campus in Columbus...and rightfully-so. But, the guys that cover the BT, night-in, night-out thought the Indianapolis native and late-bloomer JaJuan Johnson was the right guy for the honor.

I think that's a tip of the cap to his consistency and his ability to simply carry Purdue as other players grew into their roles and Moore slumped a bit. It also might be a bit of appreciation by the media for the four-year player. Regardless, he's a good pick, a good representative of Purdue, as is Moore.

Atop the POY award, JJ was named the Defensive player of the year...and this surprised me as much as no Purdue backcourt player being on the All-Defense team. Moore and LewJack were drum-tight all season...but Craft and Lighty are just as good of a tandem, if not better...and there are only so many spots on these squads.

LewJack's ability to change the pace of a game didn't go completely unnoticed though. He named as an Honorable Mention All-Conference player. If Wisconsin's Taylor decides to go pro (which I don't think he'll do), and Jackson continues to mature and improve, he might be a first or second-team All-BT guy in '12. If his work ethic has anything to say about it, he'll get more recognition next season. Not bad for a guy that some Purdue fans simply didn't appreciate for the first few seasons on campus. I think now, even the biggest Jackson-doubter would admit he's as important as JJ or Smooge to this team.

Painter receiving the coach of the year award didn't surprise me. What did was the gnashing of teeth and tearing of robes by aOSU fans demanding a recount and pleading for their guy to get the nod. Anything less than a BT Championship from that talent-laden squad would have earned him the worst Coach of the Year award from me...but hats off to him for going away from the zone defense. Why he didn't do it sooner is still a head scratcher for me. Let's keep in mind they have four sure-fire NBA players on the team (Sullinger, Lighty, Buford, Diebler) who will be in the league, three more who have a good chance of playing in the league (Lauderdale and Thomas) and a guy who, regardless of what he does as a pro, will be an All-Conference player year-in, year-out for the remainder of his time on campus.

Hats off to Matta for building one of the best rosters in the nation and managing them brilliantly. His reward is a #1 ranking and #1 seed- I think Painter would gladly trade his award for that position...but, I don't think he'd trade Purdue's roster for anyone's right now. The two are made for eachother.

I've resigned myself to the fact that JJ is merely an also-ran in the National Player of the Year Awards as Fredette or Smith seem to be the two in that race at this point. And the same goes for Matty as Lavin, Fisher and Brey have done a tremendous job capturing the hearts and minds of the masses during this season. If I were to pick outside of this year's Purdue family, I think Fredette and Lavin would both be excellent choices. You can't really argue with Fredette's numbers or Lavin's turn-around. But, all Purdue fans remember October well and can't forget the 20+ drop in ranking position after Hummel was re-injured. The yo-yo effect of our Boilers being bounced down and then clawing their way back up has to be worth something...and maybe we've already seen that.

In some ways, getting this crap out of the way now is a very good thing. Honestly, I didn't like seeing and hearing Purdue's players and coaches commenting on the awards they had earned. My thought was all the back-slapping might have deter them from focusing on the 're-teaching', as Painter called it, of the defensive principles that were seemingly-forgotten prior to the Iowa contest. Regardless, we know this team is resilient and hope they have their best focus of the year in the coming few weeks.

Let's all be honest for a second. As much as it pains me to say this, the media has been generally-fair to Purdue in '11*. The Forces of Good have been getting love from lots of national outlets...but they earned this respect by tearing holes in their competition in the month of February and doing so in dramatic, noteworthy fashion. Who knows what we'd be talking about today had Painter and Co. not wet the bed in Iowa City...but what-ifs are unprovable. No one can argue with results. A win, is a win, is a win...especially in the tournament format. Our Boilers have a tremendous opportunity to move the program forward and make thunderously-loud statements to the nation about the state of this program.

Back in late January, we were hopeful and optimistic. Now in March, Purdue fans should be confident and excited. This team has a chance (to quote Matty) to be 'special'. Awards are nice, but are really a bi-product of success. As this team and the coaches have said all along, championships are the end goal.

*Even Davis & Goodman have chimed in lately...I credit a ground-swell campaign by Purdue fans via Twitter for helping them see the light.

**Credit SI & Andrew Hancock for the tremendous photo

BS Big Ten Awards

With the regular season drawing to a fitting close in Columbus last night, it's now time to hand out post-season awards. And as athletes everywhere know, no honor is more prestigious, more respected, than that which is bestowed upon him by the staff of Boiled Sports. Here we go.

1st Team All-Big Ten

JaJuan Johnson

Jared Sullinger

Jordan Taylor

E'Twaun Moore

Jon Leuer

2nd Team All-Big Ten

Talor Battle

Demetri McCamey

David Lighty

Jon Diebler

Christian Watford

Defensive POY

Aaron Craft

I don't like the guy a whole bunch...but isn't that the point? While no one doubts the defensive prowess of his teammate David Lighty, Craft's active hands, quick feet and annoying persona make him the ideal replacement for Chris Kramer at this spot.

POY

JaJuan Johnson

JJ's consistency and his ability to carry Purdue when no one else was stepping up was Herculean. Sure Moore has been great, but Moore had his worst stretch of his career in '11...and comparatively, Sullinger's supporting cast is filled with future (and current) pros.

COY

I think Painter absolutely killed himself in the eyes of the media on Saturday in Iowa City...but it's pretty difficult to ignore what he did with this team. They were picked to finish 4th or 5th in the conference by most in the national media and hover in the high-teens in the polls. Instead, Purdue was in the top-10 for large chunks of the season, and Painter's defensive system sprouted into a formidable offense this season.

Letdown Player(s) of the Year

This one is a three-way tie- Demetri McCamey, Mike Tisdale and Mike Davis. Coming into the season, these three struck fear into most of the league. By the end of the season, they had rolled over more than the stars of the Westminster Dog Show and showed hardly any leadership in the process. This trio is still talented...and all three might still play in the NBA...that's what has to be so tough to swallow for the Illini faithful.

Players to Watch in '12

-Tim Hardaway Jr. ended his season very strong as the light seemingly went on about midway through the season. His supporting cast all returns as the Wolverines have literally no graduating players on the roster. Beilein's team should be at or near the top of the conference next season, and Hardaway will surely be part of the reason why.

-If William Bufford decides to return to aOSU, he'll be without Lighty, Diebler and Sullinger...plus, for the first time in a while, Matta won't have a guy on the roster who's supposed to be an instant-impact Freshman. Buford has been consistently graded well by scouts as a player that can play on the next level. Next season will be the year for him to show it a bit more.

-Rob Hummel's ability to get his game back to a high level is of utmost importance for Painter next season. It's tough to come back from one torn ACL, I'd think it'd be more-difficult to come back from two. That said, I think the biggest mistake his competition could make would be to discount his talent and importance to his team.

-From what I hear from my pals in Bloomington, Cody Zeller is seated at the right hand of our Lord...and being at such a place comes with expectation. He'll be the second-highest ranked recruit to enter the BT in '12...the question is how much difference will he mean to Tom Crean and Co?

Building Block Boilers

Business took me to the Northeast a few days ago, and as a result, I haven't been able to post. Now, J is on one of his many junkets, so he isn't available to post. We'll back to full strength in the very near future. But, as I have before, let me suggest something again, if you feel like you can't get enough BS- follow us on Twitter and FB- the links, as always, are in the margins. And even when on the road due to work or pleasure, we try to post content at those two places.

One last thing, before we get into the tasty content you're craving, get a Mission Houston shirt if you haven't yet pulled the trigger. They're flying out of the BS warehouse right now...and sizes are starting to run out. Plus, is a top-5 team playing amazing basketball not enough to have you looking at flights to Houston? What we're seeing isn't an idea conjured up by Purdue fans- this team is officially a contender.

BB
Over four years ago, we started this site because we thought it'd be good to use some of our energy about Purdue Sports in a productive manner instead of sending out mass e-mails to our friends and families at the top of each week. When the site began, Lil' Boilerdowd was under a year old...and the infant Boilerdowd wasn't the only little one one the BS staff's collective mind.

I did a search, and found the first time we used the term Baby Boilers was in November of 2007. Painter's team looked thin and needed a ton of help, so JJ, The Ostrich, Smooge and another freshman were forced into significant minutes right away...and they answered the bell. Sure, growing pains like losing to Wofford at Mackey stung, but it was clear by mid-season how special this group of three really was.

Moore wore all-black shoes and black socks while the rest of the team wore white Nikes with a black swoosh. He was poised and skilled, but needed some work on defense. He calmly handled hostile crowds and pressure situations...almost as if he's a machine.

Hummel looked just old enough to drive, could do a lot well, wasn't afraid to shoot, but got in a ton of foul trouble, especially when battling on the glass. But, his combo of length, shooting ability and hustle made him an impossible match-up.

Johnson was lanky and long, very raw, but could leap as well as any big man I had seen in W. La La. And from the very beginning, he seemingly loved getting pushed around in the tunnel by his teammates like a ragdoll.

But these three Baby Boilers quickly lost the name as they earned all-conference honors and the national press began to notice them. Big shots and big wins became something that Purdue fans came to expect from this core group...and these Baby Boilers were simply Badass.

That hasn't changed. This core of three has fought through injuries and adversity and seems to love defying popular opinion or prognostication. Whether the media was picking against this team in an early NCAA tourney game to lose to a media darling or they were picked to finish below Izzo, Ryan and Matta's clubs, this team loves defying the odds...and plays with a chip on their collective shoulder.

Sure, these guys can score...but defense has been their calling card. Skinny JJ turned into one of, if not the premier shot blocker in the nation. Laid back Smooge became an on-ball defender who frustrates some of the best offensive players in the league, game-in, game-out. They've bought into Matty's persona...and this class reflects him as well as he reflects them. After Painter struggled through some players that didn't really have his identity, the class of '07 represented a turning point for him as a recruiter...and a greater pivot for the program.

Boilers to Men

This morning, I caught up on some of the great videos posted by the Paint Crew and others on Youtube that honor this class. These make me nostalgic as I remember all the games that I watched in person, or where I was when they beat Wisconsin back in '08 all the way up to MSU in '11. It's tough for an emotional person like myself not to get a lump in his throat as you think about how much fun this run has been...but I'm quickly tempered when I hear Painter say this, "We're sad to see them go...But we still have a lot of basketball to play."

And just like these players believe in Painter's defensive philosophy...they believe they're not done...not even close- and neither should you and I. So let me take (and distribute) some advice that I read on Twitter and elsewhere: Let's hold on to the rest of our emotion until the season's over...in Houston.

Sure, the ice-cold on-court assassin, E'Twaun Moore couldn't help but be moved to tears by the outpouring of appreciation by the uproarious 14,123 in attendance on Tuesday night...but he gathered himself pretty quickly to finish the job at hand...he knew there was business he had to attend to.

There will be plenty of time to reminisce in April.

One last thing
I love this class because they put Purdue back into the elite of the Big Ten and brought the Boilers back to the national consciousness as a basketball program. But what I really love about this group, this team, is that they're leaving an amazing legacy. The guys that are coming in to campus in their wake are the next piece of puzzle and have a great model to follow...They've won more games than any class in the history of the program...and they've done it with class and were true student athletes. But the best news might be that the future is stunningly-bright, even after these two icons, 25 & 33, ride off into the sunset.

New Big 3 Do It Again as the Boilers win big in East Lansing, 67-47

I'll admit when I'm wrong...and loyal readers, friends, Boilers, countrymen- I was wrong.

Following the Wisconsin game, I didn't see a way Purdue would end the BT season with any fewer than 4 losses, but now it looks like nearly a lock...and I thought I was being optimistic. But this team has grown up and learned a ton in the month of February, and now, they are officially rubbing elbows with the nation's elite.

While MSU wasn't 'resurgent' like some in the media were calling them, they were playing well- and isn't this just how it's gone this year for our Boilers. Give 'em a white-hot opponent, they can cool them down in a hurry. And MSU, while maybe not white-hot, quickly went from very warm to frigid at the cold, heartless hand of Matty's boys...and perhaps Purdue completely put the Spartans' hopes of an NCAA tourney out of its misery in the process.

The BT officiating was simply horrible early in the second half as Purdue racked up 4 fouls on one MSU possession and nearly everyone, with the exceptions of JJ, Smooge and LewJack was flirting with foul trouble. But once the officials calmed down, Purdue defense began turning Sparty miscues to bucket atop fun-to-watch bucket.

Jackson played the role of Kalin Lucas better than Lucas himself. Sure, Lucas ended with a ton of points, but LewJack made everybody better who was clad in a black uni with gold trim. He dealt 7 assists to go along with 16 points, 5 rebounds and a steal. He worked in traffic versus MSU defenders with ease...even Lucas couldn't stay with the waterbug-quick Jackson.

No one benefitted from 23's play more that JJ, who was extremely-efficient on the day, scoring 20 points while going 8/13. But that's only scratching the surface on the chubby stat sheet that JJ filled up. He terrorized MSU players with 7 blocks (I actually counted 8) as he completely took Sparty out of their gameplan. It didn't matter if it was a guard or power forward, JJ was tossing shots like J Money at a bachelorette party. BUT WAIT...THERE'S MORE!!! Johnson cleaned the glass against MSU by grabbing 17 boards. On the national stage Johnson demanded that he be considered for POY and nearly-guaranteed his spot on the consensus AA squad.

Although he didn't shoot the ball great, Moore was just below his season average scoring 17 points and adding three assists. He played like the game was very important to him as you could visibly see him fired up on more than one occasion...we've said it before, he's at his best when he's angry.

Foul trouble kept Byrd and Smith out of the game for big chunks, but Smith was still a difference maker as he had three steal that turned the court around quickly. Byrd never got into much of a rhythm and only played 13 minutes...rest might be the best thing for him as he struggles to get healthy. Barlow, TJohn and Smith all had a three-pointer each and Carroll grabbed 4 boards in 21 minutes.

Purdue beat MSU on the glass, 33-32 (always a good sign for Matty's squad), and held their opponent to just 9% from behind the arc...this is the 8th time this season Purdue's held an opponent under 20%. Honestly, outside of Lucas doing everything he could to will MSU back into the game, this one wasn't much of a contest. Purdue simply dictated the pace and broke Sparty's spirit much like they did the Illini in Champaign a few weeks ago.

I said it on Twitter, I can't remember a better three week span for Purdue basketball in my life...sure, the 1994 team's run between the win in AA to the Final 8 was pretty great, but gauntlet that Purdue has just cleared puts them in an amazing position for the tournament. They've all but locked up a 2 seed and now have a 1 in their sights. Granted, it'd probably take a BTT championship with a win over aOSU to get it done, but it's possible. I for one think anything after the first win the tourney is really gravy...and I'd rather the team get healthy and stay hungry for the main course rather than ruining their appetite on bread sticks and potato skins of the league in the BTT.

Neato stat of the day: Purdue has matched its win total from the same point in the season from last year...and, is one game better than they were in conference at this stanza. Not bad for a team left for dead by the media in October. Matt Painter should be Coach of the Year, and it's as ludicrous that he's not in the discussion as it is that JJ isn't a serious player in the POY talk.

Next up is Senior Night in God's country as two of Purdue program's most-pivotal players of all time will be introduced on Keady court for one final contest. Tip-off is at 7:00 on Tuesday for the short turnaround game...Tom Crean is angry Purdue has to play two games so close...but I don't think the short time span will hurt this spry Boiler bunch too badly. Due to business in the Northeast, I cannot attend, but Mrs. Boilerdowd will be representing the BD family in W. La La. I hope to hear the Boiler faithful in Mackey 1000 miles away as you collectively and whole-heartedly thank #25 and #33 for representing Purdue so well while winning a few games along the way.

Choo choo, muthas.

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.

Good Guys Finishing First (team & second...and honorable mention)

"Are you flippin' serious? No JJ on the first team?!?"

I'm not a glass is half-empty guy...but how JJ was kept off of the A-BT first team is beyond me. No matter. It's pretty awesome to see so many Purdue guys gaining hardware for their trophy cases.

All Big Ten First Team
Ostrich
Smooge

All Big Ten Second Team
JJ

All Big Ten Honorable Mention
CK3

BT Defensive Player of the Year
CK3

All Freshman Team
Kelsey Barlow

Coach of the Year
Matty Painter

Purdue should strive for nothing less than the entire starting five from our beloved Boilers being the All-BT first team squad...Mr. Jackson & Mr. Johnson, we'll be holding your table.

Painter in the final four...

Matt Painter is in his first final four of '08. He has been named to the Naismith Finalist list along with Calipari, Pearl & Davis. Hopefully he'll land another award that I feel he greatly deserves. Honestly, I think Davis is the only other coach on this list that deserves to be there.

Ostrich, Smooge, Painter & Others Honored

Don't mess with the ostrich.
Despite their awkward appearance, ostriches can run 40 miles per hour and can kill attackers with the strength of their leg kicks. Ostriches are also extremely aggressive and when they knock down a foe, they are known to kill that animal in order to protect the rest of the herd.

The real All Big Ten Team and the rest of the conference honors were released this afternoon and the boys from West Lafayette cleaned up yet again. First off, Matt Painter was Coach of the Year according to media and coaches voting.



Robbie Hummel was on the first team for all-conference, Smooge was second team, Kramer was third team (media) and Grant was honorably mentioned by the coaches. Kramer was also Defensive Player of the Year and on the All-Defensive team while Hummel & Moore were both on the All-Frosh team.

Also noteworthy, the Wooden Award Finalist List came out, and The Ostrich was one of the 24 players on that list.

I think Purdue received all of the hardware simply because yes, they were good...But also, they were surprising to a ton of people, both in the media and within the game. They have set a high bar for themselves in coming seasons.

So how talented, and how disappointing is IU as a team?
-D.J. White was player of the year
-Eric Gordon was Freshman of the year
-Both were First-Team All-Conference; both are Finalists for the Wooden Award
-Armon Bassett & Jamarcus Ellis both were also recognized

-IU finished third in the conference
(Kelvin Sampson did not receive any votes for recognition)

More Accolades

The first All-Big Ten Team (that I've seen) was released this morning courtesy of Rivals.com. Here's how it shook out:

G Jamar Butler (aOSU)
G Eric Gordon (IU)
F D.J. White (IU)
F Brian Butch (Wisconsin)
F Robbie Hummel (the Purdue University)

I'm not going to talk about the second team, as I think it's a horrible joke...but E'Twaun Moore was named to the all-Frosh team, as was Hummel.

Lastly, but surely not least, Painter was named Rivals Coach of the Year...should be the first of many of such award for the coach.

Nicely done, young bucks.

Congrats, Robbie!!!

At this point, he's won nothing, but Hummel's been named to a truly elite group of players and his coach has been named to an elite fraternity as well. Robbie is up for National Player of the Year (Oscar Robertson Award) and Coach Painter's up for the Coach of the Year (Henry Iba Trophy). I'm not surprised by Painter being recognized, but am shocked by Hummel's name being on such a list. That said, what Hummel's done is worthy of some accolades...I can't wait until he and his team mates have a true point guard in the starting line-up. Should be fun.

By the way, I predict Hansbrough will win the POY award, and Coach K will win the Coach of the year...he's overcome so much to get that undermanned Duke squad to where they are right now.