The Minute After: Purdue
Thoughts on an 81-76 loss to the Boilermakers:
Going into Mackey Arena as a big underdog is never an easy task.
But Indiana was more than up for the challenge. The Hoosiers played with more aggression to start. They didn’t let the raucous environment rattle them. The rivalry was on for 40 minutes tonight, no matter Purdue’s higher ranking, the betting line, or the lack of faith Indiana’s fans had heading into the game.
Early on, Indiana was turning it over too much, but the Hoosiers hit the offensive glass hard, which helped counter their miscues. Mackenzie Mgbako and Luke Goode led the charge offensively. Mgbako got buckets in the paint, not settling for just jumpers. He hit 5-of-9 on 2s in the first half for 11 points. Goode hit 3-of-5 from deep over the first 20 minutes and scored 13. And Oumar Ballo was there late in the half for buckets (4-of-5, nine points). Anthony Leal, all of a sudden, was driving and being a playmaker, racking up three early assists.
Purdue got its buckets. But Indiana rotated hard and fought on defense, which sometimes meant all the Boilermakers could muster was a tough look late in the shot clock.
It was all enough for Indiana to take a 41-37 lead into halftime.
Out of the break, Purdue punched first, feeding Trey Kaufman-Renn in a number of spots. He had his own 7-0 run to start the half to give the Boilermakers back the lead, one of the 15 lead changes in this contest. And as Purdue stretched its advantage out to seven a few minutes later, it started to feel like Indiana was losing its grip. But that wasn’t the case.
Because the Hoosiers, as they have several times over the last two seasons, really found something with Trey Galloway in high-ball screen situations. Galloway drove the right side time and again off Ballo screens. Purdue’s defense struggled to defend it. Often, it was Galloway scoring himself, physically getting to his floater or the rim as the Boilermakers were wary of Ballo on the roll. He had 13 points on 6-of-8 shooting after the break. Other times, Indiana succeeded on the weakside off the action. Mgbako also continued to get to the rim and score, but also knocked in 2-of-4 from deep in the second half. He led all Indiana scorers with 25 points on 10-of-17 shooting for the game.
A Galloway bucket with 29 seconds left put the Hoosiers up a point, 76-75. On the other end, Indiana defended well, not letting Braden Smith (24 points, seven assists, six steals) get to his spot. Instead, he found Kaufman-Renn in the paint, closer to the free-throw line. Kaufman-Renn hit a tough hook shot over Ballo to give Purdue the one-point advantage at 77-76 with 11 seconds left.
Myles Rice, who barely saw the floor in the second half and was only in the game after Leal fouled out with 1:51 to go, then dribbled the ball up the court and took a quick shot on the right side. It didn’t even draw iron. The replay showed he probably was fouled, but it still felt like an ill-advised look. With Fletcher Loyer bringing down the rebound and Indiana needing to foul, his two free throws on the other end pretty much sealed up the game for Purdue.
Ballo was particularly unhappy about Rice’s look and was caught on camera chewing Rice out.
“He didn’t think it was a good play and he voiced his opinion on it,” Mike Woodson said of Ballo after the content.
Rice finished the game with 0 points in 20 minutes of action.
The Hoosiers played well enough to win tonight, but Purdue was just a bit better when it counted in the end. This is a game Indiana really could have used for its résumé. Instead, it’s another loss, Indiana’s fifth in its last six games.
More Quad 1 opportunities remain, starting Tuesday night in Madison. But with February upon us, you can also hear the clock ticking on Indiana’s NCAA tournament chances.
(Photo credit: IU Athletics)
Filed to: Purdue Boilermakers