(Photo Credit: PurdueSports)

Purdue’s formula for winning is pretty easy- shoot well and play hard. Well tonight, they did half of that…but found a way to win over a mediocre IU team.

The beginning of the game had all of the trappings of those awful contests that have marred this season- Purdue couldn’t score, couldn’t shoot the deep ball and wasn’t coming up with the 50/50 balls.

Mackey and the Paint Crew were lathered up, but the team didn’t seem to understand that they’re past the point of being able to play any way, but with reckless abandon. The good news is IU is a bad team…perhaps even worse than Purdue offensively, if you can believe that.

At the ten minute mark in the first half, Purdue was on pace to beat IU 32-28…in a basketball game…in the modern era. It was ugly offensive basketball, on both ends. BUT, Purdue ended the first half with an absolute flourish and went to the locker rooms with a solid nine point lead…29-20.

Yuck.

Both of these teams have struggled to score at times. Check that- both of these teams have struggled offensively for most of the season. But IU came into this one, having won three of their last four…two of those were over ranked foes. Our Boilers, conversely, had been playing some of their worst basketball of the season…losing four-straight and generally getting shellacked in the process.

IU shot the three really badly tonight. Was it not for a hot streak, late in the second half, they might have finished shooting around 8-9% from deep…instead, their hot shooting elevated them to 20.5% from three. Purdue, conversely, shot poorly from start to end, with just a few exceptions…and finished the game with an under-12% success rate from deep. Simply an awful shooting display for those inside of a packed Mackey Arena earlier tonight.

It looked like Purdue would win it going away when they flexed out the lead to 16 points at around the 17 minute mark in the second half. But as both teams combined for six-straight empty possessions, some of those without shots being taken, it felt like Purdue wasn’t going to take advantage of the situation. After a four minute scoring drought, Purdue’s lead fell to the single digits…and with with twelve minutes left, it no longer felt secure.

Purdue has had a problem all season with playing an apathetic brand of offensive basketball at times…no urgency, not a ton of purpose in key possessions. And tonight, this Purdue team lived up to that billing. The good news is, IU’s sense of offensive urgency is similar to Purdue’s.

IU’s 18 wins make it look like they should be a shoe-in for the NCAA tournament…but their twinkie-soft schedule is hurting them, to this day. Before the game, Purdue’s NET was a respectable, but wobbly 37th in the land. IU sat at a dangerous 52. Both teams needed the win. Purdue got it…and extended the winning streak over their former in-state rival to 1468 days.

Purdue’s win over IU improved their quadrant one record to 5-11 (poop emoji here). IU already had six quad one wins coming into tonight.

Purdue’s awful shooting and Bo Boroski’s inconsistent brand of officiating created a noxious, putrid, vile brand of basketball, especially down the stretch for our Boilermakers. Purdue’s comfortable lead dropped all of the way to a meager five points in the closing minute. But the good guys hit some important free throws to put it on ice; 57-49. Purdue’s record improves to 15-14 and just 8-10 in conference.

If it wasn’t for Eric Hunter’s late first half heroics, the game might have ended differently. Hunter’s 17 points, 7 rebounds and 3 steals were absolutely imperative…and his dunk off of one of those steals just before the clock hit triple zeros in the first half built momentum. He went 6-11 from the field…but a paltry 1-4 from three.

Tre Williams was the other bright offensive spot for the Forces of Good. When Purdue needed a bucket down the stretch of this game, it was Purdue’s brawny Sophomore power forward who answered the bell. Williams played tough and with a bit of a needed chip on his shoulder. He finished with 19 points and 8 rebounds…and two very important free throws in the closing minute.

Haarms played well for a stretch in the first half. We even got to see some of his emotion that IU fans love to hate, and we love to love. He finished with 6 points, 7 boards and 2 blocks.

Proctor, Sash and Wheeler combined for 0-9 from deep…and Purdue still won. IU’s poor shot selection and inability to play at Purdue’s level in the paint doomed Archie’s squad.

Next up, Purdue has the weekend off before celebrating Super Tuesday during Iowa’s Senior night. My thought for the last week has been simple- if Purdue can win 17 regular season games, they’ll dance…even though they’re not a very deserving team, at this point. To get to sitting atop the bubble, they have to beat a ranked Iowa team on the road before playing an 18-win Rugggger squad at Mackey.

The situation is far-from-optimal…but it is what it is. Purdue has made their mediocre bed and their NCAA tournament chances are dim at best. Tonight, we were reminded why our Boilers are simply OK. Sweeping IU, for yet another season was definitely salve to the wound of a somewhat painful season.

Here’s to good Purdue showing up in Iowa City five days from now.