Takeaways from Purdue's win over Tennessee

HONOLULU — No. 2 Purdue scored its second signature win in as many days at the Maui Invitational Monday, grinding out an aesthetically displeasing 71-67 decision over 11th-ranked Tennessee.

Our post-game analysis …

PURDUE IS TOUGH

Was this ever in question? No, not really, but mental and physical toughness alike will be paramount to the Boilermakers’ ultimate outcomes, and the Maui Invitational has been a great jumping-off point.

Today, this wasn’t Big Ten basketball; this was WWE, only unscripted.

Purdue overcame Tennessee’s suffocating defense, its size and aggressiveness and interchangeability on D. It overcame another first-half run by its opponent. It’s played from behind to open both of its second halves the past two days, both in NCAA Tournament-level games. It’s been tough in every way.

Purdue lost Zach Edey to fouls during a key stretch. Prior, he’d been trampling Tennessee on the glass. That’s an enormous advantage Purdue played much of crunch time without. That’s toughness, both collectively and on the part of each individual who’s come off the bench the past 48 hours ready to play and unfazed by the moment. Purdue has five starters but nine or 10 guys who carry themselves like starters.

And it started today with, of all people, Fletcher Loyer, Purdue’s baby-faced and skinny-armed sophomore who played twice his size today, not just on offense but with his “grimy” play — Matt Painter’s term — on defense. Funny thing: Tennessee and Arkansas, they profile as the sort of opponents one might think a player like Loyer could struggle against, because they’re big and strong and physical and switchable.

But the more you pressure Loyer, the better he gets at weaponizing your aggressiveness and dribbling past people. Very under-discussed part of his game.

These events — this one more than perhaps any other ever — are tremendous mettle tests. If you lose, you might get an opponent just as good as the team you’d get if you win. It’s a slippery slope.

Purdue’s been pushed two days in a row. Two days in a row, it pushed back harder.

DON’T UNDERESTIMATE FLETCHER LOYER

For al the acclaim Zach Edey has earned all that Braden Smith is starting to rightfully garner, people seem to forget how hard it is for a true freshman to be the second-leading scorer on an elite college basketball team. That’s what Loyer did last season. Did he transform from last season to this one? Not really, but he was also really good from Day 1.

Today showed another layer, though, too. Six rebounds, three steals and an Edey-ish eight fouls drawn.

That’s not the sort of stuff you normally expect from Loyer, but were almost as important as his 27 points and red-hot start.

Yes, Purdue needs Loyer to make threes, but it’s not just about threes with him. There are only so many shots and points to go around, and the best way to have a good offense is to have a bunch of good offensive players on the floor together. Loyer is certainly one of those guys, but also looking like a complete player. He sure did today during a game that was not for the faint of heart.

CALEB FURST AND TREY KAUFMAN-RENN COMING UP BIG

This is Edey’s frontcourt to carry, but the maturation of Purdue’s two versatile frontcourt pieces has been so important to Purdue’s success.

Trey Kaufman-Renn gives Purdue post-scoring punch with Edey on the bench, but there was a burst tonight of he and Edey playing together really clicked. Caleb Furst‘s energy has been Purdue’s hidden fuel. This weird, gross game was decided too much by free throws coming from fouls on rebounds, both ways. Furst and TKR were part of that both ways, but wound up drawing eight fouls between them and making seven free throws.

CAUSES FOR CONCERN

Purdue’s oddly poor foul shooting seemed like an anomaly, but the turnovers have to be curbed if the Boilermakers are gonna win this thing. The only good news tonight about Purdue’s 16 turnovers were that there weren’t as many live-ball giveaways as there were vs. Gonzaga. Marquette’s gonna swarm tomorrow on defense. Purdue hasn’t been affected by anyone’s pressing yet, but has to be stronger with the ball and more aware all around than it’s been.

Rebounding, too. The fouls on the rebounds were what they were. There were probably some evening-it-up calls in there, sure, but also a lot of things Purdue can clean up.

Not to pick, but Myles Colvin was a freshman tonight, allowing four first-half points not blocking out his man. All part of his development.