Purdue stays in Big Ten race; routs Michigan State

Purdue vs Michigan State

One of their players had a stress fracture in his back, yet took charges all night long. Another one of their frontline starters was sick as a dog at halftime, but knocked down second-half shots to increase a modest lead. From Robbie Hummel to Lewis Jackson, the Purdue Boilermakers received the step-up efforts that champions produce at this time of year, and as a result, Matt Painter's team stayed in the running for the Big Ten crown by thumping Michigan State, 72-54, in Mackey Arena.
 
Instead of allowing the Spartans to gain a commanding lead in the latter stretches of February, the Boilermakers turned the Big Ten race into a three-team chase over the next three weeks. Michigan State, at 10-3, now leads Purdue and Illinois (both 9-4) by one game, with the Spartans visiting the Illini on March 1 and then hosting the Boilers in East Lansing on March 8. Perhaps the smart money should still sit with the Spartans, but this wipeout in West Lafayette gives Purdue a very realistic chance at winning the conference and backing up the preseason predictions of Big Ten writers.

When one considers that Purdue was on the ropes and playing at home, this decisive 18-point victory might not seem all that remarkable. On the other hand, the bumps and bruises (and sneezes and sniffles) suffered by the Boilermakers meant that their very best effort still might not have been enough against the No. 5 team in the United States. Purdue always spills its guts on the 94-foot slab of wood, but Painter's pupils needed to bring execution and precision to this dance in addition to their customary elbow grease. With the Big Ten season hanging in the balance, the home team answered the bell.
 
It's worth noting--and it can't be overemphasized, quite frankly--that after scoring just 49 points in a classic Big Ten grinder at Iowa on Saturday, the Boilers--not known for their offensive potency--cracked the 70-point plateau against a Tom Izzo-coached defense. Yes, Hummel drew six charges despite his bad back, and yes, the Boilers hounded the Spartans into 22 turnovers, but the biggest reason for this Purdue victory was the ability of the men in white jerseys to shoot the ball with considerable consistency. 
 
While Michigan State shot just 33 percent in this game and missed several layups (five of them, by Izzo's own count, in the first half), Purdue quietly but impressively knocked down 48 percent of its field goal attempts. Michigan State's failure wasn't a failure of effort, but one of precision and performance. The Boilermakers--just as noted for their hustle as the Spartans are--were the ones who displayed a lot more offensive efficiency. Crisp passing, reliable perimeter shooting, and a strong dose of center JaJuan Johnson (17 points on 5-of-7 shooting) all enabled the Boilermakers to score at a steady pace, too much for the energized but error-prone Spartans to overcome.

This was a complete performance for Purdue: Customarily strong on defense, but surprisingly potent on offense; balanced and blended; courageous but also crisp and stylish.
 
With three more weeks of this kind of basketball (and the ability of Hummel's bad back to hold up under the strain of late-season competition), Purdue just might be the top dog in the league when all is said and done.
 
The coronation for Sparty will not materialize. This Big Ten season will go down to the final week... thanks to a nearly perfect game from a team that successfully approached its (Pur)due-or-die situation on Tuesday in Indiana.

 

> Find more Big Ten football news online at Big Ten Fans!