Senior Night and Bubble Teams

Welcome to what will be one of my favorite issues of the year for “The Boilermaker”. I’m glad to have you along today, as I put on my Bracketologist hat, and discuss some of the ‘bubble teams’ that we know very well from the Big Ten. Before I begin that I would like to take the time to briefly look over the spectacular event that was “Purdue Senior Night 2011”.

14, 123 (and maybe more) were tightly packed into Mackey to catch their potential last ‘live’ glimpses of E’Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson’s collegiate careers. Illinois came out firing on all cylinders and put the Boilers in a huge 29-16 deficit. Coach Painter used 2 effectively called timeouts to discipline his team after their poor defensive pressure in the early stages. After the 2^nd timeout, when trailing 31-18, the Boilermakers had three pointers by DJ Byrd, Terone Johnson, Lewis Jackson, and Moore. The wind was really taken out of the Illini sail when Smooge hit a 3-pointer with 9 seconds left to tie the game at 37 going into the break. In the 2^nd half, Purdue was able to continue their strong play, and take a solid lead on the Illini, but Bruce Webber’s team never died out until the final minutes. Illinois knew they were in a game that they had to win or at least stay close, and they may not have been able to seal the deal after their 1^st half lead, but they at least showed fight and desire against one of the best home teams in the land. Which brings me to my next point. The win versus Illinois brought our record at Mackey Arena this year to 16-0 and undefeated for the first time since 1969. The last team (and only other team) to go undefeated at Mackey had a former #1 pick on it (Rick Mount), went 23 and (dare I say it) 5 (the same number of losses we have now), and finished National Runner up. I’m not trying to jinx anything here, or make any bold predictions, all I’m saying is that the championship is definitely up for grabs this year, and I feel like we have a solid shot at winning it. But to do this, the team must perform at their peak level throughout the tournament, which brings me to my next 3-or-so points. DJ Byrd continued his solid streak of ball playing on Tuesday night. Deej netted 16 points, hauled in 7 boards, 3 assists, and a huge block of Illinois big man Mike Tisdale down the stretch. DJ played really well down the stretch of last season (11 against Minn and 11 against TAMU) and seems to be continuing that trend this season as well. He had 11 and 9 against IU last Tuesday, and had a let down game against Michigan St. (a terrible matchup game for him), but came back strong with the timely 16, a career high, against Illinois. Bottom line is DJ Byrd has begun to play his best basketball, giving us a potential 4^th option, in case Lew-Jack has a bad day in the tourney. Second point: the role players on our team must continue to produce at this rate for a great run in March. Ryne Smith had 9 rebounds against Illinois. He also hit 2-4 threes (2 missed had hands in his face) and two clutch free throws down the stretch crucial to the team’s victory. Against Indiana Terone Johnson hit three 3-pointers in the first half to stop and Indiana run in the first half while JJ was on the bench. Kelsey Barlow continues to lock down opponents’ top players, force turnovers, and have spark plays. Lew-Jack continues to efficiently run the offense and is even gaining a better sense of appropriate tempo. He now realizes times to push the ball and times to slow it up. He isn’t just grabbing the ball and darting up court anymore. He’s really starting to become a true point guard the more and more he gains a feel for the perfect style. All these components are so important in our team putting together wins, but these role performers just continue to be doubted and overshadowed by the presence of JJ and Smooge. Third point, I’m really starting to worry about the future in the post. Recruits Jacob Lawson (6’8”) and Donnie Hale (Ditto) won’t be tall enough to guard the likes of Adrian Payne, Cody Zeller, and Jordan Morgan, and current centers Travis Carroll and Sandi Marcius aren’t getting enough playing time to get solid experience. I know we are in the middle of a special season, so we can’t really waste any more time on gaining experience, we must play to win every game the entire time. That’s enough about the future. That concludes my points; so let’s move on to the good stuff, Bracketology!

Bubble teams in the Big 10, see your fate here. There really aren’t that many this year, 3 locks, and maybe 3-4 bubble teams. So here are my ‘Frantic Four’, four teams that probably deserve to be in the tournament, but haven’t performed up to their full potential all year, so now they are frantically trying to win games to push themselves off the bubble and into the tournament. Here we go!

Michigan State 17-12 (9-8 Big Ten): There’s no doubt the Spartans have been the biggest disappointment in the country this season. With pretty much the same unit from a Final Four team last year, Michigan State looked like a #1 seed lock. But dismissals and minor injuries, and a season long slump from Senior star Durrell Summers, have cost this team dearly. After a terrible midseason stretch, which at one point saw them lose by 20 to Iowa, the Spartan ship seemed to have been righted. However, after a blowout loss to Purdue, Tom Izzo’s crew found themselves right back on the bubble and in dire need of as many wins down the stretch as they can to make the tournament. They currently sit 4^th in the conference (believe it or not) and have to play their regular season finale on the road (@Michigan). The Spartans could use a win here to improve their shot at getting in, but with a couple wins in the Big 10 tourney, and being that Izzo is their coach, I think they get in; maybe one of the First Four teams in the play-in rounds. Bottom line though, I say MSU is IN.

Illinois 19-12 (9-9): The Illini did exactly what they needed to do this weekend in their home finale against IU. They mauled them. Bruce Webber’s club played just how they should have been playing all season, and after a strong performance in a loss at Purdue on, followed it up with a 72-48 win just earlier today. This team is playing well at the right time (end of the year) to leave a good impression on the tournament committee. Illinois only need one more win to reach 20, and with a little help from Michigan, they could take the 4 seed in the Big 10 Tournament (I think the next tiebreaker after head-to-head is overall record), so after the blowout win today, barring an awful performance in the B10 Tourney, I see them IN.

Michigan 18-12 (8-9): I thought the Wolverines could potentially be a sleeper at the beginning of the year, and they have been every bit of that. They need to get more consistent play (rebounding) out of Jordan Morgan down low, and they must take good shots on the perimeter to continue this run that they have going. The Wolverines find themselves right in the thick of things with their regular season finale this afternoon versus Michigan St. State could really use another road win, but Michigan needs the win and I think they’ll get it. My Chesterton boy Zack Novak wants to dance this March, and with a win today, I think they get a spot in the first 64 teams in. In the end, I think Michigan is IN.

Minnesota 17-12 (6-11): Only 5 teams that have had under .500 records in their conference have ever gotten at large bids in the tournament. I don’t think Minnesota will be one of them, however I will include them because of the potential return of team leader and floor general Al Nolen. Nolen went down when Minnesota was at their best point in the season (they beat us remember) and it really hurt the Gophers. They’ve now lost 8 of 9 going into their Senior Night tonight, and if Nolen plays they definitely win, and if he doesn’t, I still think Minnesota finds a way to finally get a W. I picked them to win the conference at the beginning of the season, mainly because of the depth they had in the Bigs department, and also in large part because of Nolen, who was a proven leader who could effectively establish a tempo and run a solid paced offense. Unfortunately, Minnesota must win the Big 10 tournament to make the NCAA’s. But that’s the reason I have them here. I chose them to win the conference for a reason at the beginning of the year, and I think they are capable of doing so. I just hope they get a healthy Al Nolen. My prediction, OUT.

This concludes my Bracketology issue of “The Boilermaker”; I hope you all enjoyed my insight and analyzation. I will only be writing a couple more issues before the NCAA tournament begins, as selection Sunday is only seven and a half days away so make sure you come back for those. I hope you all enjoyed, and root the Boilers to victory against Iowa today.

Boilers Finishing Strong, Seniors Remembered Tomorrow

Welcome another edition of “The Boilermaker”. Last Week, I began writing from a ‘Lafayette Limo’, a shuttle bus company at Purdue, on my way to the Indianapolis Airport. From there my good friend Matt picked me up and took me to Bloomington, Indiana, where watched our very own Boilermakers take on the Hoosiers. It was the second game of the season between the two bitter rivals, Purdue won the first 67-54, and potentially the last chance IU has this year to end a current 4 game losing streak to the Boilers (that’s right, it’s been almost 2 years since the Hoosiers have tasted a victory against us). But in this edition, I’ll take a look at the performance from last Sunday, against OSU, and look briefly at this game. In addition, I’ll offer tidbits and additional opinions on various aspects of Purdue basketball, including the blowout win in East Lansing. To begin with, let’s talk about last Sunday.

What more can you say about the performance? From the raucous Paint Crew, to Coach Painter’s game plan, to the team on the court, and finally to E’Twaun Moore… Excellent job.

I don’t think writers had really TRULY respected the Paint Crew, because in their eyes Purdue doesn’t have the ‘tradition’ that other schools have. I’ll let a winning record against EVERY other Big 10 team, and our conference leading 22 Big Ten Championships, speak for that. My point was made on Sunday: The Paint Crew is legit, and Mackey Arena may be the toughest venue in the nation (for those of you that have never been, the bowl shape of Mackey amplifies the sound more so than most college basketball venues). The Paint Crew was filled to the max, and there just may have been more than the 14, 123 people Mackey fits. There was literally not a seat to be found, so to the students, alumni, and other fans I give you a Boilermaker Thank You, I’m not sure the win would have been possible without it.

Coach of the Year. That’s a phrase you will hear to describe Coach Painter for the remainder of the season. To be a projected ‘middle of the conference’ team in October, to being a game out in the Big 10 race, with the #3 team in the country ahead of us will earn you that title. And it is not at all an exaggeration. Painter has done an unbelievable job with this group, from the time they were just freshman, and now he is finally getting his due credit. Painter decided to attack Ohio State with a much different plan than he chose the first time, and it was not a plan I would have been in favor of, and because of this I’m guessing that a lot of other people would have questioned the strategy before the game as well. Coach allowed Ohio State star Jared Sullinger to get his points (25 to be exact) and essentially dominate the Boilers down low. This game, however, Painter did not double Sullinger in the post when he got the ball. Instead, Painter used his quicker, guard-heavy, and defensively sound lineup to shut down the OTHER guys on the floor, and it worked to perfection. Two quick fouls on William Buford was just the sparkplug we needed. Add that to the fact that Aaron Craft, Deshaun Thomas, David Lighty, John Diebler, and Buford combined to shoot 4-15 from downtown, and we see how well the coaching adjustment worked. Purdue and Wisconsin have set the blueprint for beating Ohio State now these past two weeks. Slow up the tempo (Wisconsin) and allow Sullinger to get his, while tightly guarding and shutting down the perimeter guys (Purdue), and the game can be won. The only problem with that, is that it’s much easier said than done. This was definitely Painter’s signature win in a season where he’s been nothing short of magnificent. If he’s not in the main picture for COTY, then something is terribly wrong with the voting committee.

With that said, the team played their hearts out as well. There’s no taking away from this victory as it was hard earned. Although many fans of opposing teams seem to think we played our best game of the season, I will be the first to tell them that we did not. Ohio State was not beat by Purdue’s best game, they were beat by E’Twaun Moore’s best game. Yes, that’s right: I KNOW this Purdue team can play much better than that. Moore was great, and I will touch on that a bit later, but the other players on the court didn’t exactly play their “A”-games. JaJuan Johnson scored a (by his standards) measly 13 points and 6 rebounds. Ryne Smith was scoreless and missed all of his 3 pointers. Lewis Jackson was 4-10 from the field, Terone only scored 2, and NOBODY on the team except E’Twaun even hit a 3. That’s extremely uncharacteristic for a team that loves to take and make the 3 at home. So for those fans (and coaches) out there that believe that was the best they’ll see from the Boilers, good luck if we are matched up in the tournament, you’ll have to rub that sleep from your eyes midway through the first half, or you’re done. Basically, don’t underestimate this team, because they are good enough to beat anybody, especially in a season without a dominant, consensus #1.

"E'Twaun, he may put his fingers up and tell you he hit a 3-pointer, but he rarely smiles. Once he smiles, he's in a zone, and you probably won't stop him that night." These words spoken by Lewis Jackson in the post game press conference is really all you need to know about Smooge’s historic performance on Sunday. And even if you didn’t want to know, I’ll tell you more: 38 minutes played, 38 points, 13-18 shooting including 7-10 from downtown, 4 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals. Did I mention that this was all against a team that 2 weeks ago was undefeated, unanimous #1 in the country, and that some still believe to be the nation’s best? Talk about PTP’er… But really, it couldn’t have been staged any better for a kid who was destined for failure in East Chicago (Chicago suburb in Indiana, just next to Gary), if it weren’t for basketball. Moore worked hard all through his life, kept his grades up, and after a lot of he-can’t-do-its… he wound up playing in the Old Gold and Black for Coach Painter. He’s gone on to be one of the best quiet players in recent NCAA memory. That goes for JJ too. After Hummel went down, and people wrote this team off, nobody heard a peep from Painter, Moore or Johnson. No “what if’s”. No feeling sorry for themselves. No complaints about the slide in ranks. They just shut up. Now they are in a position not many thought was even possible, and it’s because of their soft-spoken senior leaders JJ and Smooge. For his first three years in school, Moore led the team in scoring. This year, he competes not with Robbie Hummel, but fellow senior JaJuan Johnson for the scoring title. And for four years running now, he has been doubted as an NBA player too. I hope with all my heart (for his sake) that that game on Sunday was enough to vault him at least into the 2^nd round. All he does in win (106 right now and a IHSAA State Championship), and there can’t be any doubt after Sunday that he has the ability to play at the next level. It’s now a matter of a team picking him, and giving him an opportunity to put his skills on display. And in the case of E’Twaun Moore, it couldn’t happen to a better kid.

Last Wednesday evening, our Boilermakers took it to Assembly Hall, for their heated rivalry game against the Hoosiers. A few things from that game really encouraged me.

First thing is first; our team is one that I’ve questioned away from Mackey this year. However, of late, it appears Purdue is a fully capable team on the road as well. Lewis Jackson continued his extraordinary play, and that’s big because he’ll have to be awesome in the tourney to make a deep run.

Terone Johnson started hitting jump shots, hopefully improving his confidence. I thought Terone would be a much better scorer this season, but I think his similarity to E’Twaun in offensive style, has hurt his scoring numbers this year. He can’t quite fill it up like E’Twaun can, yet…. But there’s a reason he was MVP of the IHSAA State Championship a year ago. So don’t hate on TJ heading into the offseason and next year.

We came up big on the road when the other team delivered a few counter blows. Let me elaborate. IU came back strong in the first half as soon as JJ exited the game, and then it was Terone who hit a couple 3’s to re-distance the Boilers. Again in the 2^nd half, IU cut the lead to 3, at 54-51, but it was our senior star JaJuan that recorded a three point play on the other end, to re-extend the lead to 6.

One thing I did NOT like in this game was our free throw performance. This could have EASILY been a 20-point blowout if we just could have made a decent percentage of our free tosses. 14-24 will NOT cut it in March/April.

Tom Crean said after the game that our two senior captains Moore and Johnson “allow the other players to play over their talent levels, that’s what great players do”. First off, I would like to attack and also thank Crean. Coach, how DARE you insult the talent levels of our other players, ESPECIALLY after we just crushed you twice, and when you have NEVER beaten us in your tenure. Just because you didn’t recruit hard workers and high basketball IQ guys like DJ Byrd, Kelsey Barlow, Lewis Jackson, etc, doesn’t mean they are not talented. And certainly EVERYTHING that they did last Wednesday night was well within their talent ability. I know you think that DJ Byrd isn’t talented enough to score 11 points and 9 boards, but really, he’s a fully capable player who defers to more talent around him. 11 points isn’t “over his talent level” and I do not care what you think Tom. You are foolish and your comments will come back to bite you in the butt if you aren’t careful. If you regret not recruiting these guys, then just say it. Don’t criticize them and say they played better than they are. I will not call out coaches (or anybody for that matter) often and when I do it must be for good reason. I sincerely hope that Byrd Barlow and TJ kill you guys for years Tom. Secondly, I would like to thank you for the compliment given to JaJuan and E’Twaun. They have gone about their work so quietly over their tenure, and are now finally gaining the national recognition deserved. Thanks for noticing Coach Crean, because we still have some major disbelievers out there.

Enough about the IU game, and on to Sunday. We went up to East Lansing for the Spartan’s opportunity to get even. It didn’t take long. The Boilermakers opened up a 9-point halftime lead and never looked back. Michigan State’s largest lead was 2, our largest lead was 22 pretty much the rest of the game. We only let up 47 points to a team that had been on a little streak, and was playing at home. Purdue continued to display their quality by winning tough road games, something you must do if you want to win the Big 10. JaJuan Johnson (in my opinion) solidified himself as the Big 10 Player of the Year. After all he’s done this year, people still said, “Okay, he’s a center he still doesn’t grab enough boards to beat out Sullinger.” So what does JJ do? He goes out and eats up 17 boards against a team that is perennially one of the best rebounding teams in the country. Did I mention JJ also had 7 blocks in this game? Yes, SEVEN. He dominated the low block, and allowed no easy baskets for the Spartans, and was a large factor in the 47-point defensive stifling. And after a week where Johnson dominated IU in the 2^nd half after two early fouls, we saw his POTY running-mate Sullinger put up just 5 points and 7 boards against the same Hoosier lineup. Have I also ever mentioned that Johnson has not had a game below 10 all season? Have I have said that this Purdue team would probably be a bubble team at best without JJ, and that Ohio State would still be a tourney LOCK without Sullinger? Why I ask you then is Johnson not getting more rep for player of the year? Just a little food for thought. Back to the game, E’Twaun continued his hot streak, scoring efficiently (7-16 for 17 points), and dished out 3 assists. Lewis Jackson played like he must and we held our 4^th opponent of the season below 50 points. The offense has improved so much since the beginning of conference play, and there are few teams that match our defensive intensity, and that is the main reason for our hot streak of late.

Left to go on the schedule we have a home game tomorrow against Illinois, followed by the regular season finale at Iowa on Saturday. Tomorrow night will be JaJuan and E’Twaun’s last game ever at Mackey Arena. It will be an extremely special night, and I know, a night filled with tears of happiness, joy, and sadness as these two seniors take and exit the court. Because ladies and gentlemen, this is no ordinary senior class. This is the class that quickly put Purdue basketball back on the map. This class aided not only the development of themselves as players, but also the development of Purdue’s new coach (at the time) Matt Painter. This is really the first class that Matt Painter was able to form a bond with before they entered school, and although two of the original 4 recruits will not step out on the court with Smooge and JJ, all four “Baby Boilers” as they became known, had a great impact on the program. I can’t quite remember when I realized it, maybe it was when I was at Chesterton watching Hummel score 37 (including 7 3’s), or whether it was watching Martin dunk on us time after time, whether it was E’Twaun pouring in points in Chesterton’s scrimmage with East Chicago, or whether it was remembering that SYF square off against the National Champion AAU team with Eric Gordon, Greg Oden, Mike Conley Jr., Josh McRoberts, and Daquan Cook (all NBA players now), but somewhere along there, I knew from up in the 219, that if this tall skinny guy from Indy can pull down some rebounds, this team would be lethal in three or four years. With E’Twaun and JaJuan leaving now, it’s a sad day for a lot of Boilermaker fans, but for the rest of college basketball, it’s a reminder that you can’t always depend on the rankings and stars of recruits to win you a NCAA Championship. There's more to a team than just talent. For the two boys that broke my Novak-led Chesterton heart at Valpo, it’s sad they can’t join their classmates on the floor for one final home go-around at Mackey Arena. For one, he plays a major role on another championship contender just 150 miles away. And the other, he has the hardest job of all. He watches his classmates and teammates from aside, with a double-torn ACL. And he, more than anyone in the world, would like to be there on that floor tomorrow. Tomorrow is really the first time all season that I will seriously what-if the Hummel situation. I will shed tears for the first time since he initially tore it last February. Robbie Hummel belongs out on the floor tomorrow, and for the first time this season, when the seniors have their parents out and their moments in the spotlight, I will feel like there is a piece of Purdue Basketball that’s missing. I hope for Rob’s sake, he will come back and be phenomenal next season, however on this night, Senior Night 2011, everyone has to have some sorrow in their heart for him. Finally, I’d like to remind you about something else pretty special. Tomorrow night, Purdue has a chance to end the season undefeated at home. I believe this has only been done once in the history of the school. Like I said last week, “fitting end”. This would be a spectacular way to send off our sensational Class of 2007, or collegiately 2011. Thanks for all the memories guys. Best of luck in the NBA, and don’t forget F.F.O.B.

That wraps up another edition of the Boilermaker. If you are teary eyed or crying at this point, take this time to wipe your eyes, remember how great JJ and E’Twaun have been, and how great they’ll continue to be. We may only have 1 more home game left, but they still need at least 11 more games for you to cheer for them. I hope you enjoyed the blog, check back soon for my next blog where I’ll look at Purdue’s game against Illinois, Purdue’s NCAA seeding possibilities, and I’ll put my Bracketology Hat on for some other Big 10 teams. Until then, relax and Boiler UP!

The Biggest Week in Boiler Basketball

It has happened again: Another week and a half period where I fail my loyal readers. I truly am sorry for that, but let me tell you what I have been up to this past week before I tell you about our red-hot Boilers. Exams Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, and two papers due on Friday—that was my workload this week. Now without further ado, I give you: (Possibly) The Biggest Week in Boilermaker Basketball History.

Part 1: The Recaps- Since the last time I wrote, we’ve played 3 games: Home at IU, and if you missed it, I do not know what to tell you; at Illinois, which was a surprisingly comfortable game for the Boilers, and back home again for Wisconsin this past Wednesday night. To start, IU game… IU keeps the game close for about 30 minutes and Purdue closes it out 67-54. That was a game I really don’t think anyone was too worried about. Illinois, a game I was actually kind of scared for, came out sluggish and the ‘Disinterested Senior Class of Illinois’ showed up again, and Purdue left with a relatively easy 81-70 victory. E’Twaun scored well, as did JaJuan, and things were beginning to look like non-conference season again, with those two scoring in such a fashion. Next game, Wisconsin, Wednesday night at Mackey. The Badgers rode an impressive 4-game win streak, including the win against the #1 team in the country. Purdue was undefeated at home. Something had to give. Fortunately for us, Wisconsin gave, but not without a good fight. Taylor and Leuer were good but this time, Moore and Johnson showed why they are one of the best duos in the country; E’Twaun with 19 and JJ with 20, as we comfortably distanced ourselves in the 2^nd half for an 8 point win. It was actually the offense that did it for the Boilers in this game, as we became the first team to break the 70-point barrier against the Badgers all year. Lew-Jack added a much needed 18 points to regain some confidence in his game, with the big game coming up on Sunday. Enough with the stuff that’s way gone and past. Let’s talk about more of the big moments of the week that is (Possibly) The Biggest Week in Boilermaker Basketball History.

Part 2: The Recruits- Yes. There is more to Boilermaker Basketball than what we see out on the court. The future is just on the horizon and new players are part of college basketball. We know about all the commits I discussed a month or so back, but this week (and one in November) 2 prospects from the class of 2013 have decided to be Boilermakers. I’ll break down what VERY little I know about the two new commits:

Basil Smotherman- G/Projected SF- Heritage Christian HS, Indianapolis, IN: Smotherman is projected to be the best of the bunch. Already donned “elite range”, this lefty should thrive in coach Painter’s system. He loves to rebound and his long arms allow him to get a lot of tips near the rim in high school. He sometimes falls in love with the 3, and with his shot it’s understandable, which takes away from his quickness and length. He’ll have to work on his penetration game, and if he can learn to get to the rim he could be a elite level talent.

Projected Ranks: 8 position 26 overall (ESPN), 4-stars Top 40 (Rivals).

Kendall Stephens- G/Projected 2-3- St. Charles East HS, St, Charles, IL: Stevens is the son of a former Boilermaker-Star Everett Stephens. Kendall is thin, to say the least. Right now he stands 6’3” and weighs about 160, and judging by his photos and highlights, 160 is generous. But that doesn’t mean the kid can’t play; Stephens’ body and style of play remind me a lot of Steph Curry, currently of Golden State, formerly of Davidson, but Boiler fans don’t start drooling yet. Stephens still needs to develop his ball handling skills and finishing abilities at the rim if he even wants to think about player comparisons to the little sharpshooter. Stephens, like Smotherman, has a pretty trusty shot from downtown, and he already has elite range for a high school sophomore, which I’m sure he’ll develop even more before he gets into college. He has solid quickness and is a pretty good defender. He’ll fit right in in the Purdue-Matt Painter system.

Projected Ranks: 12 position, 47 overall (ESPN), 4-stars Top 60 (Rivals).

Overall, we must restore our faith in Matt Painter, Paul Lusk, and Jack Owens as recruiters, as they have once again shown that they can still compete with the Hoosiers, even with IU on the rise. In addition, Painter continues to recruit players he KNOWS will fit in his system. These two (and fellow commit Byrson Scott) enjoy being on the defensive end of the floor, but along with that they are extremely gifted offensively. These have been the types of players we seemed to be missing on in the past (Dawson and you could maybe include Jeff Teague as well). We’ve been getting a lot of players who seem so one dimensional (i.e. Smith (with the 3), Barlow (dribbling and defense), Lew Jack-- (same as Barlow, although he’s come around this year), and even Hart (pretty much a just a shooter.) But now we have extremely versatile players who love defense and can score the basketball consistently. These three coaches have done an excellent job with the program in their tenure and continue to restock for the future. The only thing they have yet to do is land a highly rated big man. There are some targets out there that we could potentially grab, but right now the tallest players we are going to have in these future years will be Travis and Sandi. Right now, to be honest, I’m not sure I have a whole lot of confidence in either to be the ‘JJ Replacement’. But regardless we continue “The Greatest Week in Boilermaker Basketball History”.

Part 3: The Games- I discussed Wisconsin already earlier, but a few things to note from that game. We advanced our record to 8-7 against Bo Ryan all time, and avenged a gross loss in Wisconsin we so definitely should have had. We also took over sole possession of 2nd place in the Big Ten, however if we are hungry for more, the bigger problem lies in front of us. So without further ado I present to you:

“The Rematch: JJ wants Moore”- This will be the last time the Ohio State Buckeyes will come to Mackey with Smooge and JJ in the Boilermaker black and gold. This will undoubtedly be Jared Sullinger’s first and only game at the Mack. Purdue is undefeated at home, Ohio State is almost undefeated overall. One team has grabbed national attention with it’s beloved Freshman Phenom, the other has gone quietly under the radar all season, led by a Coach of the Year Candidate, and two of the most soft-spoken All-Star Seniors in recent NCAA memory. One team is #1 (in ESPN Power Rankings Thursday) the other should be #1 (if not for injury). This is quite possibly the biggest match-up of the season in College Basketball, yet nobody is talking about it. Purdue comes in riding an impressive 3 game winning streak, while Ohio State rides their streak of 24 for 25. Mackey better bring it at 1 PM on Sunday because Ohio State is as good as it gets this year. They should win the National Championship unless they draw bad match-ups in the tourney, and Purdue will not have ANY sort of walk in the park on Sunday. It MUST be 40 minutes of hard basketball against the Buckeyes. Now my key to the game is E’Twaun. In games where he has been on with Johnson, Purdue has been virtually unbeatable. This is a team that smacked us at their place when it WAS the game of the week, so Purdue must look to play a different game than they played in Columbus. For starters, teams have had a ton of recent success against the Buckeyes by slowing up the tempo and making the Buckeyes play in half court sets, much like teams did to John Wall and Kentucky last season. Purdue is fully capable of slowing down the tempo, and they probably will. We need to take our fast break opportunities when we get them, but we can't start a track meet or we'll be blown out again. So finally, here is my projected starters and game prediction.

Ohio State: Purdue:

G- David Lighty G- Lewis Jackson

G- Jon Diebler G- E’Twaun Moore

F- William Buford F- DJ Byrd

F- Jared Sullinger F- Travis Carroll

C- Dallas Lauderdale C- JaJuan Johnson

Predictive Summary: The reason I projected these particular starters for our Boilers is because strength is such a key element in a game against a power team like Ohio State. Look for the Boilers to use a slower offensive pace like I said earlier, and utilize the fouls they have, on a team that has not been good at the charity stripe away from home (70% as a team, but remember Diebler takes a lot down the stretch when they are ahead). We have to foul their weaker free throw shooters (Lauderdale, Sullinger, Craft, and occasionally Lighty will be off), and score in situations where they miss. The Buckeyes will give us all we can handle, but like Kansas at Kansas State earlier this week, I think Ohio State comes in thinking less of Purdue this time because of the blowout they had against us. Aaron Craft will be pesky and we NEED a great game from Barlow to contain him. Jon Diebler is one 3-pointer away from breaking the all time Big Ten leader in 3’s made; I want to see if we can keep it that way (Smith and others I hope you are listening... SMITH). We have to go to JaJuan early and often to establish his inside presence, and knock down our open shots when they come. In the end I believe our Coach of the Year will shine, and make the necessary adjustments from last time to win this game. After such a big week of commitments and wins, the Paint Crew will be bonkers too, what better way to cap it off over the Number 1 team in the land. Purdue 78 Ohio State 74

Player of the Game: JaJuan Johnson. Big time players make big time plays in big time games, and JaJuan is just that. JJ is going to come up big, and at a good time too, as many NBA Scouts will be in attendance. This is his 2^nd to LAST game at Mackey Arena, and for the two Seniors who will exit with the school record for most wins by a class, an undefeated season at home is extremely fitting. JJ and Smooge both come up big, but JJ does it down the stretch to seal the deal.

I hope everyone at least tunes in to the game Sunday. It will be a fabulous display of future NBA players, and hard-nosed grind it out basketball. So if you can’t make it there to Boiler Up, then do so from your couch. It’s been another great edition of the Boilermaker, I hope you all enjoyed, till next time I bid you a fine Boilermaker Goodbye.

Game Preview: Purdue vs. IU

In this quick hit edition of the Boilermaker, like I promised, I’ll give a Game Preview of the intrastate rivalry game between the Indiana Hoosiers and our Purdue Boilermakers. I will take an in-depth look at specific matchups (based off projected starters) between the teams and then give my overall prediction. Hope you enjoy!

PG: Lewis Jackson vs. Jordan Hulls- This matchup becomes very interesting because Hulls has the hot hand right now (24 pts on 10-17 shooting). However, Jackson has been pretty efficient running the Boiler offense this year, and doesn’t have to be a big time scorer for Purdue to win. Hulls must handle the ball well under pressure to give IU a chance. Jackson, Barlow, and TJ will press him for the majority of the night. Hulls doesn’t turn the ball over much (his season high is 3), and Purdue forces turnovers (15.1 per contest), so this should be a great battle (and test for Hulls) to see how well Purdue guards a team with such a solid game manager. Hulls takes some inadvertent shots at times, while Jackson only shoots when he has to. Lew-Jack plays much better defense, and is much quicker at the point guard position. In the end, I think Hulls will hold his own, but Lew-Jack will be able to force him into errors at crucial moments in the game.
Low-Down: Jackson is probably the more talented all-around guard, but Hulls is a better scorer, and has a good 3-4 inches on Lew-Jack. Hulls will get his numbers, but I think in the overall look at the game, Jackson outplays his counterpart. Slight Edge to Lew-Jack.

SG: E’Twaun Moore vs. Jeremiah Rivers- The only way this matchup wouldn’t be a joke is if you replaced Jeremiah with his younger brother Austin (#1 recruit in 2011 ESPNU 100 AND Rivals.com Top 150). Unfortunately for Indiana, Jeremiah the Rivers on their roster now, and E’Twaun Moore is much more talented than the 5th year senior in Cream and Crimson. I really don’t think I need to throw many stats at you for this one, all that really needs to be said is this: Moore has more points this season, than Jeremiah has in his entire college career. In addition, Moore’s rebounds, assists, steals, and block numbers are all higher than those numbers of Rivers. This may be the most lopsided matchup on the court, but Rivers does have pretty solid athleticism, and is an okay defender from what I’ve seen. He could hold Moore down tomorrow night… to 15 points.
Low-Down: Moore continues his quest to be the first Boilermaker to lead the team in scoring for 4 straight seasons. In addition, he continues to chase Steve Smith the former MSU Spartan, to become only the 2nd player in Big 10 history to score 2,000, grab 500 boards, and net 300 assists. Meanwhile, Rivers is still trying to find his niche in the Indiana offense. Strong Edge: Boilers.

3rd Guard/ SF: Ryne Smith vs. Will Sheehey- Neither team has great interior depth; hence most of the contributing players are guards. That’s why in the SF category you’ll find two guards. And they are very different. I’m sure the matchup will actually be Smith on Rivers and Moore on Sheehey, I’m guessing this is how they will match up when we are on offense. These two are polar opposites, Sheehey a 6-6 athletic F/G who slashes and drives for his points, and Smith, a never dribble 3 point marksman. Sheehey shoots 33% from downtown, Smith shoots 48%. Sheehey has hit 5 3-pointers on the season; Smith has only made 6 FG’s that are NOT 3’s. But when comparing these two players head-to-head, based off of a “what have you done for me lately” mindset, you’d have to give the edge to Sheehey. Sheehey has been logging quality minutes and playing much more solid defense than Smith.
Low-Down: Although in this particular matchup IU will have an edge, Sheehey isn’t quite a “difference-maker” in the grand scheme of things. Sheehey should outplay Smith, but Ryne has shot MUCH better this season at home. If Smith can net a few 3’s (maybe 3 or 4) he will have done his job. Otherwise, I think we just might have to say: Slight edge to IU

PF: DJ Byrd vs. Derek Elston- This matchup will definitely have a height differential, and a talent differential. Elston has a 4-5 inch edge over Byrd, making rebounding even tougher for DJ. However, DJ has faced this type of mismatch this year many times, and his strength has allowed him to win on some nights. DJ is a better player than Elston, but he plays out of position, which pretty much neutralizes that differential. DJ should, at the very least, hold his own, or he may win this matchup coming off of a great home stretch in the Wisconsin game. That should ignite his confidence from beyond the arc, and with the slower Elston on him, DJ may be able to get to the rim as well. Elston plays with a chip on his shoulder, and is considered by some to be a scrappy almost dirty player. That plays to his advantage against a very fundamentally sound Byrd. I’m looking forward to this particular matchup especially.
Low-Down: Elston is taller, plays very hard like DJ, and knows the game very well. They are really similar players, both good at their own particular aspects of the game. They too are offensive polar opposites, with DJ running out on the perimeter in the Boiler 4 out 1 in (sometimes 5 out none in) offense. Despite the fact I am a huge DJ Byrd fan, I can’t see this particular matchup getting out of hand on either end. Bottom line: Even (No edge)

C: JaJuan Johnson vs. Tom Pritchard- Talent vs. Blue Collar worker, Crazy athlete vs. Rock of an individual, Stretch Big Man vs. Traditional 5, or All-American vs. Decent basketball player. How ever you want to look at this matchup, it probably falls into one of those viewpoints. Indiana will have their hands full with JJ and will HAVE to bring double and triple teams to stop him. Pritchard isn’t an extremely capable defender outside, so JaJuan will probably trying to draw TP out. However, these two have met many times, so they know each other very well. Unfortunately for Pritchard, he hasn’t played against JaJuan’s refined game yet THIS year. JaJuan has scored double digits in every single game this season, something Pritchard has only done once all year. JaJuan should win this matchup pretty easily, and I don’t think there is a person out there that could legitimately argue otherwise.
Low-Down: There really isn’t much to say here. Some may say that Pritchard could out-”heart” JJ, but people underestimate JaJuan’s desire to win and passion for the game. In the end, this is the most lopsided matchup on the board. Strong Edge Purdue.

Bench: Purdue vs. Indiana- This should be a better matchup than the one before it, but when it comes to depth it is not even close. Barlow, Carroll, TJ, Bade, Hart, and Sandi are all capable of playing in this game. On the other hand, I really only expect to see Verdell Jones III, Victor Oladipo, Bobby Capobianco, and maybe Matt Roth in the game for IU off of the bench. Oladipo is the best bench player in this game, he has scored 10 points or more in just about every game where he’s received 20 or more minutes. Barlow is the best defensive player on the bench as well as a counter-blow to Oladipo’s flash and energy. They both can provide an immediate spark with their athleticism. Jones III is considered by many to be IU’s best and most consistent player, so he’ll naturally be able to provide a poised leader off the bench. This will be a pretty even matchup because of Purdue’s depth; it will be countered by IU’s talent off their bench.
Low-Down: Oladipo worries me because he’s a momentum changer of a player. However, Tom Crean has been somewhat inconsistent with Oladipo’s minutes this season, which absolutely puzzles me. Lew-Jack, Barlow, or TJ will probably match up with Victor when he’s in, so we have a defender that can keep him in front. If Purdue wants to secure “winning” the bench matchup, they must have someone step up offensively. Hopefully, our own freshman guard will rise to the occasion against Oladipo (Terone). In the end, I would say the matchup is Even, or maybe the slightest edge to IU.

Coach: Tom Crean vs. Matt Painter- People say the record doesn’t reflect the Coaching ability of Tom Crean and as far as his tenure at IU goes I would agree. I know Crean knows basketball, but with all his great recruiting news lately and with the whole Sampson fiasco, Painter really got lost in the mix as far as great coaches though. His recent selection as the USA University Games Head Coach speaks volumes about Painter as a coach, and about how much respect he’s receiving from his coaching peers. Yes, I realize Crean inherited a mess from Sampson, but still at one of the most historical programs in the country, he has managed just 8 conference wins and a 28-57 record (to date). Don’t let it be forgotten however, that Painter inherited 7-21 team from legendary Purdue coach Gene Keady that went 9-19 the following season. When people began to question whether Painter could handle the pressure of being Keady’s successor, Matt quickly turned it around recording 4 straight seasons of 20+ wins, and will get a 5th straight season in the very new future. So he did to Purdue what Crean is trying to do to IU, brought a team with virtually nothing (can’t argue that with a record of 15-40), back to the top of the conference grabbing 2 Big 10 Coach of the Year Awards in the process. Now he’s in the thick of things for 2010-11 National Coach of the Year, for the work he’s done with this team, minus All-American glue-man and star forward Robbie Hummel. His defense/team first style fits the Big 10 so well, and that’s the one of the main reasons for his success. All in all, I don’t think this matchup is too close, simply because of style of play.
Low-Down: Crean is from the Big East. He likes star power, flash, athleticism, and most of all, high scoring offense. Painter is a complete 180 of that, stressing defense, preferring hard working, strong, team-oriented players that fit his system. I have complete faith in Coach Painter’s abilities, and believe he will keep our program afloat for years. He’s smart and knows the game better than most fans give him credit for, and that’s evident in his ability to quickly turn around the team. If you ask me, a Strong Edge goes to Purdue in this category.

In the end, this should be a pretty solid matchup for a good 30 minutes of play. Because they are at home and more talented, Purdue should pull away in the end. The fact that it is “Rivalry Week” on ESPN and that the two are such bitter rivals anyway should keep this game close for a while, and don’t be surprised if it’s anybody’s game down the stretch. Purdue is in a must win situation, with Wisconsin and Ohio State playing each other, one of them is guaranteed to win, and to maintain pace with them, the Boilers cannot have a hiccup here this week. If I had to predict a score for tomorrow’s game, I’d have to say:
Purdue- 73 IU- 61

It’s only 28 hours away from now, let the trash talking begin, and of course let the better team win. Boiler Up!

Embarrassment Aftermath: Boilers Come Home

Welcome back Boilermaker fans, it has been WAY too long, especially after my promise last time to write more often. So to all my readers I would first like to say I am sorry for the long wait. What a week and a half it was for the Boilermakers though. I think we found some things out about this team over the stretch both good and bad, and I’d like to start taking a larger look at the NCAA as a whole as we draw within 6-7 weeks of the NCAA tourney. Enjoy this special double edition of the Boilermaker.
Before I left you last time, I predicted that Ohio State would beat our Boilermakers in their primetime match-up last Tuesday. Well, we saw a case of two things that Tuesday night:
1. We saw Ohio State play their best game of the season that night shooting 58% from the 3 point line (11-19) and 55% for the game (32-58). – The Buckeyes brought it last Tuesday at hit us right in the face early. The Buckeyes just came out firing, and with passion on the floor torched our lazy no hands in the face defense. Bottom line is, when Sullinger is doubling his 3 pointers made, I don’t think there IS a team in America that can beat Ohio State.
2. We saw a Purdue team that really, for first time since the Minnesota Big Ten Tournament Debacle, play with 0 heart. – The Boilermakers played lazy defense and didn’t deliver any sort of counter blow to the Buckeyes’ initial jab. Ryne Smith and Lewis Jackson continued their road woes, showing they still are only confident at Mackey. JaJuan played the best game on the floor, despite Sullinger winning the game, scoring 22 matching Sullinger’s 7 boards, while dishing 2 dimes and had 2 blocks as well. He was also 3-4 from downtown, reminding the NBA Scouts of his elite range for a big man. Overall, I don’t think it would have taken much to beat this Boiler team that night. Nobody but Johnson looked like they even wanted to be in Columbus. I have news for you boys: ALL your NCAA Tournament games are on the road.
Shortly after things improved for the Boilers. I won’t forget to remind you that the next day after the blow out loss, fellow in state team and rival Indiana, added insult to injury by beating their first ranked team in the Tom Crean era.. Welcome Back Closet IU fans! It’s been a good 4-5 years! But after that night, things got better. Purdue dismantled a Minnesota team many ESPN “Experts” thought we wouldn’t beat. Then Indiana lost to the most puzzling team in the NCAA (Michigan St.) and we proceeded to lose this past Tuesday at the Kohl Center in Madison, where few win. In fact, E’Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson will finish their careers 2-2 at Wisconsin, probably the best winning percentage of any class in the Bo Ryan era. Let’s talk about the games briefly:

Minnesota brought somewhat of an A game in the first half, drowning the Paint Crew out a little bit. Then, finally, Purdue brought their A game for the first time in a while, to start the 2nd half. Our Boilermakers pulled away quickly in the 2nd half and held the lead right at 13ish the rest of the game, before winning 73-61. Two points worth noting:
1. E’Twaun’s struggles from the field continued.
2. Patrick Bade got a significant 20 minutes of action, a trend that wouldn’t die with this game.
On the road we went, through the snowpocalypse, up to the toughest court in America and Madison, Wisconsin: The Kohl Center. Honestly, for 35 minutes of basketball, I felt E’Twaun and JaJuan were going to go 3-1 at the Kohl Center for careers. Purdue literally controlled that entire portion of the game. Some blame the refs, the fouls were greatly uneven 19-11, but you could also fault the 11-4 offensive rebounding advantage, or the Boilermakers sluggish and selfish offense down the stretch. We have a team full of players who all want the last shot but never hit it, I swear. Passing will get you open. Nevertheless, Wisconsin scored the last 8 points of the game after DJ Byrd’s nice jumper with 1:11 left. Bet there were a lot of Purdue fans saying “No DJ NO NO NNNN…OH YEAH!!!” I was quite calm actually. I’m a huge Byrd fan, because I love his heart and desire to WIN. I knew that shot would drop because that’s the type of player DJ is. Purdue had literally tried going to everyone else on the court and failed in possessions before. DJ always backs his teammates, and if he’s the only one left to step up for the win and do it, then he will. That’s why he started to come around in the NCAA Tourney last year; he just hates to lose. So regardless of DJ’s awesomeness, Wisconsin goes on to score the next 8 points mainly through Ryan Evans, and win the game by a deceiving 7 points. A disappointing loss, and definitely a win we should have had. Meanwhile, that other Indiana team made our win against Minnesota look… okay. Crean recorded his 2nd straight win over a top 25 team, and the 2nd of his career at IU. The Indiana students did not rush the floor after this one, however. They play Iowa at Assembly Hall tomorrow, before trekking up the state to play our Boilermakers inside Mackey next Tuesday night!

Let’s take a look around the NCAA quickly to see what some potential Sweet 16, Elite 8 or Final 4 teams may look like this year:

BYU (Mountain West)- this team should get a high seed led by the NCAA’s most exciting player and leading scorer, Jimmer Ferdette. Ferdette is a scoring machine that one NBA Scout says that “Jimmer will shoot the lights out from midrange. Then he’ll move far out and shoot a high percentage. Then he’ll move really far out and shoot a good percentage. He’s got that kind of range” I’d be interested to see Purdue matched up against BYU in the tournament, because we are so good defensively, we’d really see Ferdette tested.

Texas (Big 12)- I’m pretty sold on this year’s Longhorns team. Which is kind of weird because they really don’t have a ton of leadership outside of Dogas Balbay. But Rick Barnes has just recruited the perfect blend of athletes and scorers to make this team uber difficult to stop. I’m not sure the Boilermakers would be well suited in a matchup against Texas. The athleticism would just be too much I feel. But Texas has been known to choke come March so the Boilers may never get the chance.

Notre Dame (Big East)- Yes that’s right. It’s the old football rival Fighting Irish. These kids can play ball. Although they only have 6 real contributing players, the chemistry and ability to adjust their playing style has Final 4 team written all over it. I’m not kidding. And I’m definitely not being an in state homer. Ask my friends how much I like the Fighting Irish, although I must admit I don’t mind them too much in basketball. This isn’t a team I would want to see in March. They can pretty much mimic what we put out on the floor and they can run Big East style and slow Big Ten style, so with a double dose of both, I think we’d be quite eliminated.

Gonzaga (WCC)- Although they have fallen from the elite this season and aren’t even in the Top 25 anymore, this is a team with success written all over it. There is a three headed monster out there with Robert Sacre, Steven Gray, and Elias Harris. Trust me, if all three are hungry enough, Gonzaga can compete with anyone I think. They may not have the depth or preparation that a deep run might take, but they could be a tough 10-12 seed in March.

Kentucky (SEC)- I believe this team is scary. They have one of the most talented and least talked about teams in the country this year, which bodes much better for these Brandon Knight-led Cats than the crazy hype did for the John Wall-led Cats of last year. Doran Lamb provides the fairly consistent outside threat that they didn’t have last year. Terrance Jones is a dominator all-around, and they mix in a flow of other players to aid the Blue and White.

North Carolina (ACC)- their almost back to the top 25. Harrison Barnes has things figured out. Zeller is developed. Larry Drew II transferring will hurt. But I think the Tar-Heels might have things worked out. They definitely have potential, watch out. Just look for articles online about them in the coming weeks. They’ll start to flow in if the Heel’s continue their climb.

Other’s to watch out for: Arizona (Pac 10), Duke (ACC and Duh.), Oakland, MI (Summitt), St. Mary’s, CA (WCC)

Finally, I want to make a few final comments on random things:
• Michigan State, after being ranked as high as #2 to start the season, did not even receive a vote this week in the Top 25 polls. Their 20-point blowout loss @ Iowa won’t give them much chance to re-enter the polls either. I do give props to Tom Izzo, who has called out his stars on numerous occasions this year, at the beginning of the year booted starting guard Chris Allen off the team, and recently kicked guard Korie Lucious (took Allen’s spot) off the team as well. Great coach and a class act in Tom Izzo
• Ohio State coach Thad Matta has yet to give props to any team he has beaten this year. No team has rose to the occasion apparently to play Ohio State, because every time they play a close game Thad blames it on the Buckeyes not playing well, instead of acknowledging a good game by the opposition. Cockiness will come back to bite you Thad. Be careful, karma is a douzie.
• Minnesota is in a must win situation after their 0-2 Indiana road trip. They’ll bring in the #1 team in the country to the Barn this Sunday and hope to reverse their streak and gain some momentum back. This is the first time the media has looked past a game for Ohio State all year. People are already talking about a showdown at the Kohl Center next Saturday. They are forgetting the difficulty of the Barn, and I think Ohio State might too. Minnesota has the size, and I think they win. And trust me they need it.
• Last a shout out to the Brewster Academy (New Hampshire) Men’s Basketball team. They have now advanced their record to 23-0 led by a few Big East recruits, and one of my closest friends Mitch McGary (formerly of Chesterton, IN). Mitch, JaKarr, Max, and the rest of the boys: #automaticforthepeople Stay Perfect! Go BA.

I hope you enjoyed the double edition of the Boilermaker. I hope to be writing to you soon, most likely with a Monday Game Preview of Purdue vs Indiana. I cannot wait for this game, especially with all the IU fans back out and talking again. The rivalry is about to get heated and interesting in the next few years. So pop back in on Monday, for the next edition, but in the meantime enjoy this and all the college basketball this weekend. Despite the Boilers not playing, there are still some great games.

Oh yeah and my Superbowl Prediction (I’m terrible with the NFL): Rodgers chokes, 2 Polamalu picks, and Big Ben does his Superbowl thing. Steelers win it 24-13.

Don’t hold me to it.

GameDay Brings out Best in Boilers... #1 Awaits

Over this past weekend, I, Jacob Lukach, writer of The Boilermaker, experienced the entire duration of ESPN’s Gameday visit to West Lafayette for the Boilermakers game against the Michigan State Spartans. In this edition, I’ll discuss the game, the Gameday experience, and how Purdue can take down Ohio State tomorrow night in Columbus.
To begin with, Gameday. I will just give a brief summary of this awesome day. Wake up at 8, go to Mackey, cheer loud and yell at Digger Phelps, find out one of my favorite writers, Jay Bilas, is an asshole (excuse my language), leave Mackey, wait all day for the game, then back to Mackey to see the Boilers play and ultimately win in front of the Gameday crew. Gameday was one of the coolest experiences I’ve ever had with sports. To see Digger Phelps, Hubert Davis, Reece Davis, and Jay Bilas, right out in front of you on the floor of Mackey Arena was truly incredible. The amount of students that dragged themselves out of bed at 8 am on a Saturday morning was absolutely thrilling. There are a lot of fans dedicated to this Legion we have: The Paint Crew. I really can’t think of any better fans to play for around. On to better things.

Against Michigan State, what can you say, we finally proved we are deserving of some national recognition. Every time we asked a role player to step up, they did. Lew Jack with 19 points, that’s what I’m talking about. Ryne Smith two big 3’s when the offense was sluggish, DJ had two huge offensive rebounds, the Paint Crew was in full force, and Purdue won. There were some very good things done in the game and I’d like to discuss that, and there were some things we must improve on before tomorrow’s showdown. First off, hats off to E’Twaun Moore. Way to shut up the haters Smooge, keep reppin’ the 219, and congrats on the 26 points against Michigan State. E’Twaun had been struggling of late, and some Purdue fans were really starting to get on Smooge. He’s heating up at a good time. 6 of the next 7 are against ranked foes. Second tip of the cap goes to Kelsey Barlow. He played in your face defense all night, and threw down a thunderous dunk that pretty much put come back hopes out of reach for the Spartans. Barlow finished with 6 points, 4 assists, 2 blocks, and a rebound on the night playing hustle minutes all night. You can’t say enough about the foot speed of Lewis Jackson. He may rival Kemba Walker for quickest player in the country. Lew Jack slips through holes that I don’t even see anymore because I think it’s sealed to quickly, and he somehow manages to get through. Lew-Jack’s 19 points were a career high and he still managed 5 rebounds and 2 assists. What I liked most about Lew-Jack’s performance was not his 19 points overall, but the way he demanded the ball at the end of the game when MSU was fouling, and then he converted his free throws. I love that he demanded the rock in crunch time, but the fact that the once broke Lew-Jack was making the free tosses, made me ecstatic.

Purdue wasn’t perfect on this night, however. The Boilermakers defense wasn’t very Matt Painter like. Michigan State scored 76 points, on almost 45% shooting. Boilers get your hands in the face of the shooter. Chris Kramer would be appalled by that performance on the defensive end. We forced 11 turnovers so that was excellent against a team like Michigan State. The defense was almost my only complaint until I began to re-watch the game with my friend tonight. Our off ball movement on offense by everyone except E’Twaun and JaJuan, and sometimes Lew-Jack was absolutely horrendous. I loved Lew-Jack’s back cut off of a JaJuan screen, and guess what, he scored! DJ and Ryne in particular have to move better and cut much harder if they want to get open against stiffer competition. This lack of movement could have cost us big time if Smooge hadn’t come out so hot. John Hart is still not fully ready to be out on the court yet. He’s noticeably a step or two slow on defense, and his shot is a little off right now as well. I’m sure that comes with just being out for a month and a half, but we need to continue to rest him in the coming weeks so he can be fully ready for the end of the season and the NCAA tourney. Last thing: offensive rebounds. We were horrible on the glass and although we only had 4 less boards on the day, we have 9 less offensive rebounds on Saturday (14-5). I thought Sandi Marcius did a decent job defensively when he was in. He didn’t record any stats other than minutes, but I thought he played solid strong defense on Delvon Roe that Travis Carroll struggled to provide. I’d actually like to see more of Sandi tomorrow, and so begins my Super Tuesday Game Preview.

Purdue @ Ohio State: An extremely tasty matchup at Value City Arena and the place should be rockin. The Boilermakers look to steal one on the road and make their claim at the Big Ten title that they undoubtedly would have had if not for a 2nd Robbie Hummel ACL tear. But since that’s done and over with the Boilers have since moved on and developed new stars like Lewis Jackson who will be instrumental in this game if the Boilers plan on an upset. The height favors Ohio State significantly, unless Matt Painter decides to run Sandi and JaJuan all the time when Lauderdale and Sullinger are on the floor. I think that Painter should give this a try at some point in the game. JaJuan has to carry loads now on offense so he has less energy to match up with Sullinger on defense anyway. Use the stronger beast in Sandi to at least try to neutralize Sullinger’s strength. Otherwise, JaJuan is going to take a beating in the post guarding Jared at both ends. In addition, Ryne Smith needs to do a better job defensively guarding another one of the best shooters in the Big 10 in Jon Diebler. Smith can’t play JD like he played Minnesota’s spot shooter, Blake Hoffarber, or we’re in for a long night. Also, Smith, a Toledo, Ohio native, needs to play well in a homecoming game to his state, on a court he should be somewhat familiar with. If he can have his own homecoming explosion the Boilers could shoot their way into a 1st place tie in the Big 10. JaJuan and Sullinger is the matchup getting all the attention, as it should, and it will definitely be a special one to watch. Two dominant big men, using to extremely different styles of play to dominate. E’Twaun Moore will have to shoot well again, but as I said before Lew-Jack is the key to this game. Who from Ohio State can contain his quickness off the dribble? Purdue has to space their offense and use that stacked screen from Moore and Johnson to see if lanes open up for Lew. He’ll have Aaron Craft on him most likely, who will try to work Lewis down low on the other end. The final thing worth noting is that Ohio State hasn’t really seen a team that plays defense as hard as Purdue does. If Purdue can pressure the turnover prone Buckeyes, I see a good chance at an upset. In the end, I personally believe size may be too much. Ohio State should win this game, and if they don’t, I don’t think they are worthy of their #1 ranking. I think Sully and the Bucks nip Purdue in the end, because it’s so hard to win on the road in this conference. Final Score: 73-67 Bucks. Somebody unexpected will come up big. Look for maybe Deshaun Thomas (from Ft. Wayne) to do some damage off the bench and deny a team from his home state an opportunity at an upset.

That’s all for this edition of the Boilermaker. Due to the popularity increase of my Blog I will be trying to write more often now. Thanks to my parents, friends’ parents, and Facebook for getting my name and The Boilermaker out there. So keep coming back every so often to see if anything new is up. Keep in mind, I am a college student, and time doesn’t always grow on trees here in West Lafayette. Keep on Chuggin’ Boilermakers, fans tell your friends about the Blog, and everybody Boiler Up for tomorrow night’s game in Columbus.

Recruiting Update: Future Boilermakers

In this edition of “The Boilermaker”, I’d like to take a look at the job Coach Painter is doing on recruiting for the future. For now I’ll preview the players who have either Verbally committed to Purdue or have signed their letters of intent.

Donnie Hale- Forward- 2011 Bridgeton Academy- A Chris Kramer like scrapper, and a decent shooter for a 6’8” SF that rebounds like another 6’8” forward he’ll join next year (Robbie). Hale can score for sure, he’s had a game of 23 earlier in the year had 15 and 13(rebs) in a game in the National Prep Showcase. Donnie is averaging over 15 points a game up in the eastern corner at Bridgeton and his rebound numbers are also up as well. Mark January 26th on your calendars, that night NEPSAC rivals No. 10 Bridgeton hosts No. 1 Brewster Academy, a team that features AT LEAST 7 high major Division 1 talents. We’ll see how Donnie plays against some top tier competition whether it’s Villanova-bound Marcus Kennedy or rising 2012 prospect Mitch McGary, maybe he’ll even guard St. Johns recruit JaKarr Sampson, who may be the most versatile and athletic player in the 2011 class. Donnie will have his hands full and it’ll be a true test to see how he’ll fair against competition he’ll see next season. Bottom line though… I’m anxiously awaiting his arrival next season.

Jacob Lawson- Forward- 2011 Oak Ridge Academy- Lawson is tough to describe, so I will let the words of Coach Painter do it for me: Jacob is the best all-around player at his position in the entire country. Pretty high praise from a coach who has recruited three of the better players Purdue has seen in a while (Johnson, Moore, Hummel). Lawson is a stretch 3 who is uber-athletic and is lanky and strong enough to play the 4 at times. Lawson is extremely unknown, large in part to playing on a stacked AAU team (CP3 All-Stars), but Lawson is a HIGH-flyer who loves to be flashy at times, but his 3.4 GPA will never disappoint fans off the court. Outside shot needs to improve, but from 18 and in he’s lethal. Lawson is also a great shot blocker. I’m very interested to see how Painter incorporates Lawson’s different skill set, and high basketball IQ into our well-balanced game plan.

Raphael Davis- Shooting Guard- 2012 Fort Wayne South Side- I don’t really know how to describe Davis. In my eyes, with the right amount of playing time, he could end up near the top of Purdue’s all-time scoring list. Davis can score from anywhere… literally. I’m talking if he’s in the gym, he can hit the shot. That’s how offensively gifted Davis is. Last summer, he scored 65 points in a 3-OT loss for his AAU team, and they played with 4 players during the 3rd overtime due to foul-outs. There’s a definite reason he’s not a Top 50 recruit of 5-stars despite how good I make him sound. His defense appears to me to be a little lacking, and by a little lacking I mean not Boilermaker Defense. He also shows signs of laziness and carelessness when he’s not on his game. He’ll have his games of 35, but he is prone to the 2-15 night as well. It seems tougher defenders confuse him or guard him “too tough” and he can sometimes be a complete non-factor on the game.

Kyle Molock- Point Guard- 2012 Dublin, Ohio- I don’t know much about Molock large in part because I have to completely base his report on his sophomore season of Ohio High School Basketball. Molock, in case you were unaware, is the Purdue recruit who tore his ACL this summer, just a wee bit into AAU play. So I do not know much about Molock, other than from video footage, he appears to be a fully capable floor general. I like this pick up by Painter, (if of course the ACL heals fully) because he offers an immediate fill for Lew-Jack. A taller, better shooting version of Lewis, unfortunately he won’t have the speed Jackson has, large in part to the surgery. I’m interested to see how his defense is, he was regarded as one of the better point guard defenders, but now with a torn ACL under his belt, cutting and lateral movements won’t be as quick as they once were.

Jay Simpson- Forward/Center- 2012 Champaign Central- Jay is a work in progress. He honestly looks like he’ll grow a few more inches in the future, which is why even though at 6’8” I’ll still list him as a center. He’s a pretty athletic kid with a longer wingspan, who scores a lot of his buckets from underneath. He’ll be an ultimate tweener if he doesn’t grow, but if he puts on some inches he could develop into quite the low-post threat. I’m hoping he’ll grow a few, because he could be the perfect Big 10 center down low.

Bryson Scott- Guard- 2013 Fort Wayne Northrop- Bryson is the better of two Northrop twins (brother Brenton). He seems to be a solid shooter, but is inconsistent at times from downtown. Dribbling skills seem as good as I would expect for a high school sophomore. His strong point, and what he enjoys doing most is harassing ball-handlers on the opposing team. This is probably one of the main reasons Painter signed Scott so early, because his motor never runs out, and can defend the best players in his class.

Here are links to some of my favorite highlights of these particular players if you are interested in seeing their styles:

Donnie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CaUel8Eg6j4
Lawson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dunqmxmKjMg
Raphie: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YLD0yd7bf5E
Molock: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KBtOqMANQPk
Simpson: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0DvUJEahBVs&feature=related
Scott: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7rBhNn2HDaE&feature=related

Enjoy and Remember to Boiler Up!