This game wrap is sponsored by our friends at Section 103. They just launched their new Purdue collection in time for March Madness. They’ve got high quality shirts and hats with some different designs you won’t see elsewhere. I’m thinking especially about the Mackey Arena shirt and the World’s Largest Drum shirt. They’ll also be giving fans the chance to vote on their next piece of gear. Check them out and use code HAMMERANDRAILS to get 10% off your first order. Thanks to Section 103, a founder-led company, for their support.
Senior night always sits heavy during college basketball season. Today was no different. Mackey Arena was packed early, the Paint Crew had senior day shirts, and every fan received a special rally towel. It was going to be a special day in Mackey for a special group of players.
John Wooden Memorial Player of the Game (JWMPOTG):There’s no doubt here for the Boilermakers it has to be Fletcher Loyer. The senior had an incredible sequence in the second half to keep Purdue alive but also was money from deep, finishing the game 6-9 from three and becoming Purdue’s all time leading three point shooter. He finished with 23 points, 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. What a ballgame.
Coming into this game Wisconsin was shooting 32.8% from three during Big Ten play. In the first game between these two schools Wisconsin went 4-25 from three and Purdue fan away with the game. In just the first half of this one, Wisconsin went 12-22 for 55% which, if my quick math is correct, is a full 23% above their season average. It was that kind of first half. Despite a four minute span where the Purdue defense was cranked up and caused four turnovers in five possessions (with the other possession being a missed three) that allowed a 13-0 Purdue run, it wasn’t enough to take Wisconsin out of this game. Instead, after those four minutes Wisconsin seemed to be the more poised team despite it being Mackey Arena and senior night for a group that will go down as one of the best groups in Purdue history. After those four turnovers Wisconsin didn’t have another turnover the rest of the half. That just speaks to how comfortable they looked with the Purdue defense. In the first stanza Wisconsin shot 26 field goals with 22 of them being three pointers. I’ve not sure I’ve ever seen a shooting barrage like that.
What did Purdue do on offense in that first half? Well, honestly they looked pretty good. There was a nearly three minute scoring drought, but going into halftime with 47 points is impressive. Purdue also shot the ball well from three but just didn’t shoot as many as the Badgers. Purdue was 7-13 for 54% from three. This included 3-4 from Fletcher Loyer who is quietly chasing the Purdue record for most Purdue threes and 2-4 from Braden Smith. On offense it was hard to find much to complain about. Purdue outrebounded the Badgers 17-10 through 20 minutes and committed just five turnovers though a couple of those…woof. Especially egregious was a Trey Kaufman-Renn errant pass that led to an easy Badger bucket and a foul on TKR that led to the old fashioned three point play. Purdue headed into halftime down 52-47 and would need a healthy dose of second half magic like they did against the Northwestern Wildcats earlier this week.
Things started to feel dangerous to start the second half when Wisconsin hit their first three and pushed the lead to eight points and had a chance to bring it to double digits. Instead? Fletcher Loyer decided to put in some WORK! Over a span of just over one minute Loyer got the steal, an old fashioned three point play, a three pointer to bring it to 61-60, and then drew a charge on the other end. When people complaint about Loyer and some of his shortcomings it’s moments like these that I think of and that I point to. No doubt in my mind that Loyer is a leader on the floor and when he dove to get that steal and took a charge just a couple possessions later it was the epitome of Purdue basketball. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t be enough.
Purdue had a number of chances in this second half to pull away from Wisconsin but it seemed like every time Purdue would get a lead and maybe put a few points between them Wisconsin would come right back and drain a three. You hoped, and I’m sure Painter and staff believed, that the Badgers would slow down their hot shooting and it would give Purdue the chance to come back. Unfortunately for Purdue, they didn’t. I mean, technically they did. They shot 54.5% in the first half and an even 50% from three in the second half. It was a testament to how much Purdue has struggled on three point defense this season. It was truly one of the worst three point defenses I can recall and I don’t just mean this game, I mean this season. Today was just perhaps the most egregious example. This Purdue team has problems on the defensive side of the court. When Wisconsin wasn’t hitting threes they were easily getting to the lane and getting layups.
In a bit of bizarre look at the statistics, Purdue won the turnover battle 8-7 (committing only two in the second half), outrebounded Wisconsin by 12, and had 20 second chance points to Wisconsin’s 10 but they lost. That’s a product of allowing your opponent to shoot a blistering 52.9% from three.
Purdue will end the regular season 13-7 after starting Big Ten play 7-0. With now just two more games guaranteed it’s going to be difficult to wash the taste out of these home losses out of Purdue fan’s mouths. Win or go home time now.