PDF: Purdue-Arizona State stats
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NEW YORK CITY - A few years ago, Matt Painter laid out a mandate in recruiting: Get a shooter in every class.
The payout of that move has never been more apparent this season that it was Tuesday evening in Madison Square Garden, when the Boilermakers dropped 15 three-pointers for the second game in a row and torched the Sun Devils of Arizona State in the Jimmy V. Classic, 97-64.
"When we sub, we sub with guys who can shoot the basketball," Painter said. "And we start guys who can shoot the basketball."
This concentration of long-range weapons has been amplified by a Boilermaker team that might be emerging as the best Painter's had in terms of moving the ball and passing up good shots in exchange for great ones. This is Painter's best shooting team, top to bottom, but also maybe his best passing team.
It all loomed large over Arizona State Tuesday night.
Purdue made better than 59 percent of its shots and operated at a 56-percent clip from distance. The Boilermakers got 10 three-pointers and 46 points by players who didn't start.
Vincent Edwards, coming off the bench for the second consecutive game, turned the game on its ear in the first half. He separated Purdue with back-to-back three-pointers, with under seven minutes to play in the half. This, after an 11-0 Purdue run had created some cushion as Arizona State missed 11 straight field goal attempts.
After the Sun Devils led by one at the 13:22 mark of the first, Purdue erupted. It scored 36 of the final 46 points before halftime, the buzzer for which Carsen Edwards beat with a mad dash up the floor and a contested three-pointer at the horn.
It was that sort of half for Purdue, highlighted by a breakout of sorts for Vincent Edwards, who's struggled this season to point Painter moved the veteran and multi-year starter to a reserve role and replaced him in the starting five with a freshman, albeit a very good one.
"(I'm) just not worrying about it and going out and playing," said Vincent Edwards, who matched Isaac Haas with a team-best 16 points and made 4-of-5 threes. "Whether it's starting or coming off the bench, whatever's best for the team is best for the team."
Ryan Cline came off the bench to make five triples on seven tries. He's now shooting a mere 62 percent from three through his five games this season.
Continuing to give Purdue exactly what it needs from him, Basil Smotherman added 13 points off the bench, while starting guards Carsen Edwards and Dakota Mathias added 12 points apiece.
Purdue's perimeter skill dominated this game, but so did Haas, who did whatever he wanted in terms of establishing interior position against the undersized Sun Devils, but also towered over them like the Empire State Building on defense, serving as a devastating deterrent both around the rim and in dribble containment.
The Boilermakers outrebounded Arizona State 44-28. It allowed 13 offensive rebounds, but it hardly mattered because the Sun Devils struggled to put the ball in the basket from in close and long range alike. They shot less than 36 percent from the floor and made just 4-of-26 threes.
"So much of our identity is tied to shot-making," ASU coach Bobby Hurley said.
They couldn't do it.
"Defensively there were some things we had to tune up and we eventually got most of those corrected," Haas said. "It still comes down to guarding your man."
And as soon as Purdue cleaned up some early sloppiness, it rolled.
"At the start of the game, we had some unforced errors, then we settled down after those first four minutes," Painter said. "You have to be simple when people double-team you. You have to pass the basketball. Once we started moving the basketball, our guys got in a rhythm and maybe played our best half (of the season), outside those first four minutes."
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