After Purdue's season ended abruptly with back-to-back overtime postseason losses, Matt Painter told his players to take some time for themselves to recharge for the important off-season to come.

The NCAA mandates a two-week cooling-off period following seasons, and Painter wanted his players to take advantage, following a long and strange season.

They defied their coach, though, returning to the gym on a voluntary basis almost immediately after their season-ending loss to North Texas at the NCAA Tournament.

That sort of response probably bodes well for a Boilermaker team of which much will be expected next season, and one that'll enjoy the benefits of a much more normal spring and summer this year after last year's pandemic-caused debacle.