Takeaways: The context behind Braden Smith making history, Purdue's defensive surge and more

MADISON, Wis. — Fifth-ranked Purdue re-opened Big Ten play emphatically, winning 89-73 at Wisconsin to run its early league record to 3-0.

Our GoldandBlack.com post-game analysis from the win …

PDF: Purdue-Wisconsin statistics

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ON BRADEN SMITH’S MILESTONE

A great accomplishment this was for Braden Smith and Purdue, the senior breaking the Big Ten’s career assists record, but it was a foregone conclusion, the only question being whether he’d do it tonight or against Washington in Mackey Arena.

That this was a certainty for him not just coming into the Wisconsin, but coming into the season, says everything about the career he’s had. And keep in mind how many games he should have left. He’ll hold this record for a long, long time, particularly in light of the four-year, single-school starter sunsetting in college basketball.

Smith has enjoyed a legendary career, but think, too, about what he meant to Zach Edey’s career and his current classmates’ careers, and Matt Painter’s, P.J. Thompson’s, etc., careers.

He has been a transformational player for the program and the neat thing for Purdue is he’s getting his flowers, so to speak, maybe on his way to bigger and bigger things both individually and for his team. The assists record comes at a point in his Purdue when his defensive impact has taken the Boilermakers up a notch and Purdue’s ability to take care of the basketball has been no small part of it.

ON RIM PROTECTION

You saw in the second half Purdue’s ability to block shots really thwart Wisconsin when its spirit might have been leaking and lead to opportunistic offense for the visitors that really blew this open.

Wisconsin wasn’t afraid to go at Daniel Jacobsen in the first half, but he made his presence felt in the second on the rare occasion the Badgers did get in the paint. Trey Kaufman-Renn notched a chase-down down that probably took points from the Badgers. Fletcher Loyer‘s exceptional all-around game included a breakup at the basket that easily could have been recorded a block.

Purdue’s just been so active and so disruptive on defense lately. Perhaps never more so than in that second half in which Wisconsin was just 9-of-29 from the floor, many of those minutes amounting to garbage time.

STOLEN POINTS

Purdue blew this game open in the second half, but it positioned itself to by turning Wisconsin turnovers into 11 first-half points. That was the difference in the game after 20 minutes and an occurrence that fell a bit outside the Boilermakers’ profile. They’re not a high-turnover-generation team, but their guards have been really active without being undisciplined, and the impact of size has shown up in forcing mistakes here and there. Mostly, Purdue has really been good together. Help shows up when needed, the ball stops and mistakes get made.

With Smith at the controls, the more Purdue gets in transition, the better. Turnover-generated pace impact showed up tonight, which is pretty much the opposite of how things have historically been against Wisconsin.

ON MATT PAINTER AND HIS SENIORS

Very few coaches would have left their star out there with three fouls like Painter did with Smith. It could have burned him, but the trust he shows in his players seems to always get rewarded. None of these guys lack confidence, but how can that not fuel it?

There was 16:38 left in a 11-point game — it wasn’t even remotely close to being over — and Purdue scored 10 straight points right after that third foul, whether it was related to Smith being on the floor or not.

FLETCHER LOYER: PURDUE’S MVP AT WISCONSIN

Forget the team-high 20 points, but the timeliness of Loyer’s made threes, his defensive impact and his possessions-saving hustle were huge deals. That ball he dove for in the first half that set up a CJ Cox three won’t show up in the box score, but that’s three points Purdue wouldn’t have had otherwise.

Loyer does a really good job feeding the post, pushing the ball in transition and making productive plays on those downhill catches Purdue draws up for him, and those corner inbound plays. And he’s an excellent team defender who was central to the second half turnaround.

ON THE TWO SOPHOMORE GUARDS

Purdue doesn’t need CJ Cox and Gicarri Harris scoring, but the opportunistic aggressiveness they are showing stands out. They may not be featured players right now, but they play really important roles in the big picture of what Purdue does at both ends of the floor. Players in their roles can’t be passive when opportunities present themselves.

Their approach has been ideal.