Purdue gets healthy; stops slide against Wisconsin

Purdue vs Wisconsin

The Purdue Boilermakers didn't just receive a clean bill of physical health on Sunday against Wisconsin. Coach Matt Painter's team got healthy in the Big Ten standings by fulfilling their potential against an elite conference foe.
 
The return of Robbie Hummel and Chris Kramer gave Purdue a loaded roster in this battle against Bo Ryan's Badgers, and with their pieces put back together; the Boilermakers threw the majority of the day's haymakers, cruising to a decisive 65-52 win at Mackey Arena.
 
Purdue and Wisconsin are known for their defenses and their hard-nosed mentalities at the defensive end of the floor. In a confrontation between the two teams best equipped to challenge Michigan State for the league title, the path to victory was going to be very simple. It was no secret that the tougher team, especially near the rim, was going to survive this street fight.

After 40 minutes of mortal combat between two rugged sets of warriors, there was no question as to who deserved to move up the ladder in the Big Ten pecking order.
 
Purdue might still be 1-2 in the conference after today's victory, but if the Boilermakers can bottle up today's effort and sustain it for a few more months; they're sure to gain a high NCAA Tournament seed and became a very tough out for anyone else in the country. Painter's pupils brought the hammer to Wisconsin all day long, consistently outfighting and outfoxing the Badgers within six feet of the basket.
 
Big man JaJuan Johnson led the charge for the home team, scoring 20 points and grabbing 10 rebounds. Guard Marcus Green snagged 7 boards from the guard spot for Purdue, and Hummel chipped in with 5 boards to go along with 16 points off the bench. But as superb as the Boilermakers were on the boards, they displayed their physical superiority in other ways as well.

One key metric in any hard-fought basketball game is the amount of free throws taken by two teams. It's widely accepted that the stronger team will draw fouls near the rim, using bodies effectively to gain position on put backs, dribble penetration, and angled off-ball screens and cuts. Very simply, Purdue destroyed Wisconsin in this particular part of Sunday's showdown. Purdue shot 15 free throws before the Badgers even attempted their first free throw, with only 4:23 left in regulation. In most of the many scrums that occurred underneath the goal, the Boilermakers gained a clear upper hand, showing a combination of length and athleticism the Badgers couldn't match. Purdue had fresher legs, greater leaping ability, and all the other tools needed to win loose-ball battles with considerable consistency. This led to the foul-line disparity that had more than a little to do with the game's eventual outcome.
 
Most observers expected a razor-close game that would go down to the final few possessions. Instead, Purdue maintained a double-digit advantage throughout the game's final 13 minutes.
 
Purdue got healthy after a difficult start to its Big Ten season. As a result, the rest of the league might get a very sick feeling when dealing with this tough-minded team from West Lafayette.

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