Post-game analysis: Purdue-Utah State

CANCUN, Mexico - Purdue left little doubt Tuesday night against Utah State in the Cancun Challenge, leading virtually start to finish en route to an 85-74 win.

Here's our post-game breakdown of the contest.

Mathias rounding out

Dakota Mathias has never wanted to be defined as just a shooter, and now he's taken steps toward being defined as something other than just an offensive player, period.

The junior 2-guard has been a pleasant surprise on defense for Purdue this season and has been a productive positional rebounder, things he's never been known for.

"Playing through my defense, that's something big I've learned this year," Mathias said. "I have to keep doing that … playing harder on defense, rebounding, different things, and that gets your offense going. You're not thinking about shooting the ball. Sometimes I tend to do that, but last three or four games I've just been defending, focusing on my man, rebounding and the offense comes."

It certainly did against Utah State. Mathias erupted for a career-high 25 points on 9-of-10 shooting. He burned the Aggies' zone repeatedly by just sticking shots over it, picking up where he left off at the end of the Georgia State game, when his two late threes were pivotal in Purdue's 20-0 run to close that game.

Mathias closed last season playing very well for Purdue and is rounding back into that form as an offensive player right now. When he's playing that way, he makes the Boilermakers better.

Now, he's doing it at both ends.

Haas dominant

Last season, Isaac Haas averaged like 25 points over 40 minutes, an absurd number that he simply couldn't uphold over bigger minutes this season. Right?

Well, four games into this season, he's averaging 36.

Obviously it's unlikely Haas will keep up his 20-a-game average thus far this season, but if four games - not an insignificant number of outings - are any indication, he's got a chance to be wildly productive from here on out.

Haas is shooting 78 percent from the floor. He's making his free throws. And looking closer into it, he's doing a great job establishing position and refusing to take no for an answer, then making the best decisions of his career to date.

Haas looks like he's matured as a player, and that's great news for Purdue, because he can be a great player. He's playing like one now.

Turnovers still a concern

The reason this wasn't a 20-point game in the first half: Turnovers.

Purdue stopped itself when it was playing its best defense and that positioned Utah State to make a run.

This is far from a turnover epidemic but it will be a concern all year. Purdue's frontcourt is traveling too much, but the issue has lied largely in just simply execution. Passing and catching, as Painter says.

If Purdue cleans it up, it's margin for error will increase and it will become a better defensive team, because it won't be scrambling as much. When you're as big as Purdue, without a wealth of speed and quickness, as is the case with Purdue, scrambling is not ideal.

Cline matters

Ryan Cline returns from suspension for the Auburn game and Purdue needs him. For one thing, Purdue has been walking a fine line depth-wise, but also this will take some pressure off freshman Carsen Edwards, who Purdue has wanted to bring along on his terms. Through four games, Edwards has had to play through some struggles as all freshmen but he's had to do so in important minutes when the Boilermakers might not otherwise require him to be out there.

Edwards is going to be good. Cline's return allows Purdue more of a chance to allow it to happen organically.

Front page photo courtesy of Paul Sadler of Purdue athletics

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