Purdue 88, Auburn 60: Postgame Video

I think that the 23 point home loss Purdue suffereed at the hands of Iowa State pissed them off a little. Since that loss the Boilermakers have wongames by 28, 20, and 28 points, all over high major opponents. Minnesota and Marquette at least were in Mackey Arena against teams that are struggling, but today’s 28 point win was over an Auburn team ranked in the top 25. The last lead the Tigers had was at 7-6 and after that, Purdue rolled.

If there is such a thing as a dull 28 point blowout, this was it. Purdue took control early and never let the Tigers have any sustained run to get back in it. Purdue had just one 11-0 run and Auburn had only a 5-0 run. The Boilers kinda slowly pulled away and never looked back.

Purdue is so good it just casually dispatched a top 25 team today.

My thoughts:

• This was the first time I got to see Purdue play in person this season. I took my son and, in a monumental moment, it was the first time I have gone to a Purdue basketball game strictly as a fan in over a decade. Just a really good day and I even ran into someone I have known since kindergarten.
• CJ Cox and Gicarri Harris showed exactly why they are so dangerous. Auburn did a decent job of keeping Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith somewhat in check (at least scoring-wise). Cox and Harris combined to hit 8 threes out of all those new opportunities. Purdue is nearly impossible to beat when guys like Cox and Harris knock down wide open three-pointers all day.
• Braden notches a whopping 14 assists, which is a season high and it allows him to bank some for later in pursuit of hte all-time NCAA record. He is now at 873 for his career and is averaging 12 per game during this three game win streak. He can thank Harris, Cox, and Jack Benter for knocking down open shots from his passes.
• Speaking of Benter, another solid game off the bench in double figures for him. The face of this team is obviously Smith-Loyer-TKR, but seeing sophomores in Harris, Cox, Benter, and Daniel Jacobsen have some big moments shows that even next year, things will be fine. Matt Painter continues to do a great job of coaching the current season while building for the next one. That quartet could end up playing together for two more years together.
• Seeing what Trey Kaufman-Renn can do to defenders while being guarded one-on-one could meet the official definition of obscinity. I’ll check with Ledman on that one since he is a lawyer. His footwork is so quick he is banishing defenders to the phantom zone. His moves are filthy.
• Only 10 points combined by Jacobsen and Oscar Cluff and Purdue won by 28. This team is just so good and can beat you in so many ways. It really is a testament to how poorly we played against Iowa State that NOTHING was working. You cannot guard either of Purdue’s bigs one-on-one, and if you double you had damn well better hope they can’t hit threes.
• Five guys in double figures, two off the bench. HOW DID WE LOSE BY 23 POINTS TO ANYONE!?!?!

Matt Painter, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Braden Smith

Gicarri Harris

CJ Cox