INDIANAPOLIS — Purdue seems to have its mojo back.
After a poor showing during a two-game trip out east to meet Rutgers and N.C. State, the No. 3 Boilermakers reversed their fortunates in a big way Saturday afternoon, blowing out Butler 77-48 in the finale of the Crossroads Classic.
Our breakdown ...
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WHAT HAPPENED
Moments before tip-off, Jaden Ivey did what he's come to do before games to get himself ready to play. He head-butted the padding below the basket on the south end of Gainbridge Fieldhouse, perhaps a bit of a strange ritual, but one he says he picked up from Steph Curry, now the NBA's all-time leader in three-pointers.
Ivey did a bit more to pay homage to Curry thereafter, erupting for a half dozen threes on as many attempts against the Bulldogs, accounting for 18 of his game-best 22 points.
"I was just taking rhythm shots and taking what the defense gave me," Ivey said. "Sometimes they play me to drive the ball, but I'm confident in my shot and I was confident today."
The Boilermakers didn't shoot terribly well in New Jersey and New York last week.
So much for that, for one game at least.
Led by Ivey, the Boilermakers were 11-of-22 from long range, part — but only part — of a picturesque offensive performance. Purdue shot 53 percent for the game, 50-percent-plus in both halves. Had Purdue not closed 0-for-4 after the bench cleared, it would have shot 58 percent.
This was a glimpse again of some of the razor-shape offense that defined the Boilermakers to start this season, despite Butler's best efforts early to be physical with Purdue, especially its guards.
"We really want to get the ball moving and get to the right spots," guard Isaiah Thompson said, "whether that's getting the ball in the post and playing off that, or drive-and-kick, because when Jaden has the ball in his hands, we know the defense is going to try to corral him and collapse on him. We just want him to be able to drive and make the right reads and he made a lot of the right reads tonight.
"We just want to continue moving the basketball and playing well together as a team. This is a big January coming for us."
Trevion Williams moved into the starting five for the first time this season, with Zach Edey coming off the bench.
The two combined to make 11-of-14 shots, score 24 points and grab 17 rebounds.
It was one of Purdue's best offensive games of the season, but also ...
HOW IT HAPPENED
... It might have been Purdue's best defensive game of the season, at least against a credible opponent.
"The ball went in for us today, but I still think if we don't make shots today, we win," Painter said. "I think we were pretty sharp defensively. We did some really good things. We were just aware of what's going on. Sometimes we do breakdown drills in practice to prepare us for live play, and then when something happens in the game, we don't know what's going on. Today, everybody knew what was going on."
Purdue's halfcourt defense was as sound and tenacious as it's been all season and the offense steady and productive enough to make things easier at the other end of the floor.
"We were really bought into the scouting report this week," Thompson said. "We knew what they were going to do and just wanted to execute and be really physical and aggressive, knowing when to down ball screens, knowing when to stay tight on dribble handoffs.
"I just think that as a collective group we were just together and on the right page at the right time. That's why we got a lot of stops and a lot of easy baskets tonight."
Butler shot just 32 percent for the game. In the decisive first half, the Bulldogs made 26 percent of their shots. Butler was playing without leading scorer Chuck Harris, though it's unlikely any one player would have made much of a difference on this day.
"Coming off last week, I just didn't think we brought the physical presence on defense," Ivey said. "Today, we brought it and we're going to need that going into the Big Ten, because those Big Ten games are tough, especially on the road. We have to be high and tight on defense."
WHAT IT MEANS
Purdue seems to have found itself again.
It's not uncommon for Matt Painter's teams to make a jump this time of year as more practice time arises, but this team was so advanced early, the reality that the Boilermakers still needed to improve might have been masked by winning.
This game was much more in line with the version of Purdue seen prior to Rutgers and N.C. State and the defensive performance especially bodes really well should they be able to sustain it.
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