The Boilermakers curb-stomped Alcorn State simply for having the nerve to show up at Mackey tonight, crushing them 103-48.
This was the largest margin of victory for Purdue basketball since 1983. Yes, long before any of the students on Purdue's campus (except you late bloomers) were born. That's a historic win, ladies and gentlemen.
And you can say all you want that it "was just Alcorn State." Yes, I get that. It was just Alcorn. But they're still a Division 1 school and you still have to beat the bad teams you play. Beating bad teams is not a given, as Tennessee learned against Indianapolis in the preseason and almost learned against Cuonzo Martin's Missouri State team tonight.
Purdue not only handled their business, they did it in, as mentioned, historic fashion. The starters were really only in for the first half and even then none of them played a full 20 minutes of action. The game was 59-17 at the half. Chew on that for a second. Up forty-two points at halftime.
Purdue had their walk-ons in the game with eight minutes to go. EIGHT MINUTES. And even then, Alcorn could only close to 55 points and only mustered a 28% shooting percentage. Yes, that's partly them not being good... but it's also smothering defense by Purdue.
Other thoughts:
Bad, Bad, Bade -- Seemingly everybody's favorite punching bag, Patrick showed a little pizzazz on a breakaway dunk in the first half. He slammed it home with two hands and then swung on the rim. It didn't look that bad, he didn't scream in anyone's face, etc., yet he was called for a technical. I'm fine with that. Show some fire, Patrick. As they went back downcourt, Smooge smiled at him and said something and took the back of Bade's head in his hand in that, "Come here, son," manner. I liked that for some reason. Just a senior saying something to a younger guy.
E'Twaun Will Get Some Crap For This -- Midway through the first half, Smooge tried to do a two-handed jam of his own... and managed to miss. You just know he's going to catch crap about that from the other guys.
JJ Channeling His Inner John Hart -- JJ hit his first collegiate three-pointer tonight, at least according to the BTN. He's taken so many long-range 19-footers, it's amazing he's never had a three. And as I said on the Handsome Hour, I'd be fine with him not taking another one all year. We need him inside, owning the low post. And I think he knows that. In a game like this, you just can't help but have some fun.
Sharing The Rock -- Twelve guys scored tonight for Purdue. Twelve. Out of 13. The only guy who didn't score was Bubba Day and he had a few good chances. And of the 12 who did score, none of them had fewer than three points. That is just incredible. What a team effort.
Relentless -- I loved the ongoing hustle by the team tonight, even up 50+. Matt Painter apparently told his guys they were all playing for minutes and you could tell. They hustled the whole night, which is what they'll need to do all season. Another indicator of this relentlessness was the fact that Purdue only hit 7 threes tonight. A lot of times when you run up the score, you do so with a barrage of big shots. Not tonight. Just relentless pressure at both ends.
There's a lot of positive things that could be said about tonight's game but there's really no need to gush any further. Purdue owned this one from start to finish, which is what you do against bad teams when you're a very, very good team. Let's hope the pollsters find it in their hearts to not drop Purdue again as they did after Sunday, when Purdue "only" rolled by 36. Maybe 55 will get some attention.