Express Takeaways: Purdue's win over No. 4 Marquette and Maui Invitational title

HONOLULU — Another year, another premiere-event championship for Purdue, this one the biggest of all.

By virtue of its 78-75 win over Marquette Wednesday, the second-ranked Boilermakers won the loaded Maui Invitational and are set to ascend to No. 1 nationally for the third consecutive year.

Our post-game GoldandBlack.com analysis.

BIG DIFFERENCES FROM LAST SEASON EMERGED IN HAWAII

As dominant and clutch as Zach Edey was against Marquette, Purdue’s guard play was really good when the Boilermakers needed it most. Last year’s freshmen punctuated the fact that they’re no longer rookies, as Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer managed the game really well when Marquette was surging. They made tough shots and winning plays and were certain the ball was going where it needed to — Edey. They never seemed to get shook.

Those two plays were fantastic last season, but their added basketball maturity and experience is a big difference in this team and part of what makes it considerably better than last season.

There was a certain something about Purdue in Hawaii, a certain knack for making the play at the time. Edey was a huge part of it, but someone had to get him the ball. And those shots those two made when Purdue needed shots, that was really something.

THINGS WILL CLEAN UP

The lingering reality in the wake of this significant win is that Purdue is getting better.

Anyway, yes, Purdue is going to be No. 1 and already has a résumé in place, but is still a work in progress. Roles are crystalizing, new players are gaining experience and the Boilermakers are playing well defensively and shooting well. Purdue reclaimed its authority on the boards the past few days. Edey and Trey Kaufman-Renn playing together is starting to click. Playing the “hot hand” at the 4 has been fine.

The foul-shooting this weekend reeked of aberration unlikely to continue.

It’s turnovers, though. That is Priority 1, 2 and 3 right now as far as improvement goes.

But this team is not peaking right now the way the past two — certainly two seasons’ ago’s team, maybe last season’s — did.

PURDUE CAN GO

Everyone looks at Purdue like it walks up the floor, builds a Wal-Mart in the paint and plays no-shot-clock basketball. Not even close.

Lance Jones has been transformative for Purdue’s ability to dictate pace, especially when he and Smith are on the floor together, which has also made Purdue as press-proof as it’s ever been.

As a primary ball-handler, Jones works, but as a secondary ball-handler and transition setter, he’s a game-changer.

Purdue is built to win battles of attrition, to wear teams down. Its ability to play really fast adds another layer to that.

WHAT IT MEANS

Think about this three-year stretch for Purdue: North Carolina and Villanova in Connecticut, West Virginia, Gonzaga and Duke in Portland and now Gonzaga, Tennessee and a top-five Marquette team in Hawaii.

Especially when you take into account that Purdue is building its teams mostly from the ground up while so many other teams are jumping to the front of the “get old and stay old” line by using their NIL money to buy other peoples’ best players, this has been pretty improbable. Purdue and Marquette are similar in that respect. Shaka Smart is recruiting and developing his types of guys and banking on continuity, same as Matt Painter.

But back to Purdue: There’s obviously a big box or two left to check before being viewed this way, but its body of work the past few seasons is that of an elite program.