Big Ten season next for top-ranked Purdue basketball after pounding Florida A&M
WEST LAFAYETTE – For the second straight season, Purdue finished its non-conference schedule with a perfect record.
Thursday’s 82-49 victory over Florida A&M pushed the top-ranked Boilermakers’ record to 13-0 overall heading into Monday’s matchup against Rutgers when Big Ten play resumes. This marks the third time in program history Purdue has started a season 13-0.
Eleven of those wins came against non-conference opponents, including impressive victories over West Virginia, Gonzaga and Duke that vaulted the Boilermakers into the top five in the national polls. Purdue also has wins over Marquette and Florida State.
Brandon Newman posted a season-high 18 points, hitting three 3-pointers. Playing in his first game since Dec. 17 against Davidson, Zach Edey notched another double double with 14 points and 10 rebounds. He missed the Dec. 21 victory over New Orleans with an illness.
Caleb Furst and Trey Kaufman-Renn combined for 21 points on 8 of 10 shooting.
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BIG TEN READY?
The Boilermakers are 2-0 in league play after beating Minnesota and Nebraska earlier this month, but the resumption of conference action ramps up Monday when Rutgers visits Mackey Arena.
“This is just the start of it,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said.
Painter’s team clearly had a handful of opportunities to win last year’s regular-season championship but fell victim to last-second shots that led to painful finishes.
The undefeated record against last year’s non-conference schedule didn’t help the Boilermakers win the title. Maybe it creates a path to a championship this season.
“We were in the same position last year,” Painter said. “It was there for us, not to take anything away from anybody.”
Will it be there again?
Purdue will have to create its own journey to another league championship but the formula throughout the non-conference season is one that should work against Big Ten teams.
Granted, the competition ramps up and the margin for error grows smaller with each game. But other than 3-point shooting, the Boilermakers have performed well in other key areas – rebounding, turnovers, free throw shooting and on the defensive end.
“Honestly, just keep doing what we’re doing,” said Mason Gillis, who totaled five points and five rebounds Thursday. “We can iron out turnovers, even though we don’t turn the ball over that much.
“I like our team. I like how we’re playing. I’m excited to go back into the conference and the competition is going to get harder.”
Although Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Michigan State were ahead of Purdue in a preseason poll conducted by the league’s media, the Boilermakers are a legitimate contender based on what’s transpired the first 13 games.
“There’s not one team to me that stands out,” Painter said. “I think we’ve got the best record, we’ve got the best résumé but it doesn’t mean we have the best team. It just means we’ve played the best in certain situations.
“It’s not a little kids league. We’re going to find out real quick. I’m excited about it. I think we have great teams in our league. We have great coaches and players and it’s going to be a fun ride.”
NEWMAN SHINES
The roster is filled with impact players.
One who should make a difference on a nightly basis is Newman, who came off the bench Thursday and sparked the Boilermakers with a tenacious defensive mindset.
His scoring was solid but a career-high five blocked shots, and four rebounds should catapult the junior guard into the Big Ten season. The five blocks are the most for a guard in program history.
“My defense definitely got me going a little bit,” said Newman, who reached double figures for the third time this season. “Leading up to the game, I’ve been locked in on film and locked in on our scout.”
Newman’s energy on the defensive end is another area of Purdue’s team that’s contagious. It needs to continue against conference opponents to help the Boilermakers separate from the field.
“When you’re playing well as a team defensively, you get more energy,” Edey said. “When you’re not stuck on the defensive end with those long possessions, your team gets more energy.
“He’s out there blocking shots. He’s like LeBron chasing these guys down.”
The Boilermakers will gladly accept Newman’s overall game from Thursday against any Big Ten opponent.
“He has to find himself into the games,” Painter said. “He’s got to get comfortable and take what comes his way. When he starts forcing things, he puts himself in binds. When he takes his shots and takes his opportunities, he’s been very effective.”
FOCUS ON TURNOVERS
For the second straight game, the Boilermakers committed single-digit turnovers. They had seven against the Rattlers after turning it over eight times against New Orleans.
Purdue’s season-high for turnovers was 18 against West Virginia but has committed nine or fewer in six games, including Thursday. The lack of turnovers has led to an efficient offense as the Boilermakers are averaging 81.5 points in those six games.
Ethan Morton and Braden Smith combined for eight assists and no turnovers against Florida A&M.
“Turnovers are a big thing,” Edey said. “We have a lot of guys that can take care of the ball and we have a lot of guys that can make the right decisions and make the right reads.”
