Purdue Basketball: Takeaways from win over Butler

Don’t sleep on Purdue’s guards.

With Haas gone, Purdue’s guards got their chance to shine and carry the bulk of the load in the offensive half court. While it wasn’t always pretty, the Boiler backcourt did the job, especially in the second half. P.J. Thompson had one of the better games in his career, scoring 14, and Carsen Edwards contributed 13.

Dakota Mathias was also monumental in the victory, playing 37 minutes and nailing an enormous three-point shot from the top of the key that put Purdue in a comfortable position to stave off the Butler rally. Mathias also contributed four assists, as the sharpshooter played smart basketball yet again with a team-first mentality.

Purdue’s guards are not the biggest story of their tournament run right now, but they are what is keeping them alive. The unselfishness of the group is clear, yet each has the ability to take over a game and go on a significant personal scoring run.

With Haas on the bench, it is a little easier to notice how strong the Boilermakers are at other positions. The backcourt will be key moving forward whether the big man in the middle is able to return or not. The good news for Purdue is that this group is more than capable.