It was quite the showing for the Purdue Boilermakers who put an end to McNeese’s short Cinderella run. After playing a tight game with High Point, Purdue was poised to come out of the gate swinging.
It was an onslaught of offense for Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn who led the way with 22 points, 15 rebounds, and 3 assists, in 38 minutes.
Purdue cruised easily to a 76-62 win and walked out of Providence bound for the Sweet 16. Here’s what I saw…
Purdue established the interior, and then the exterior
Why make it any harder than it has to be? Purdue simplified the game and displayed brilliance in the halfcourt. It’s easy when you have a 7-foot monster named Zach Edey. However, that man is no longer wearing a Purdue jersey. Still, Purdue has found a way to press upon dominance in the paint.
As a first-team member of the All Big-Ten selections, Trey Kaufman-Renn demonstrated his dominance on both ends of the floor. Offensively, the Boilermakers stuck to the plan and executed to perfection. Kaufman-Renn is one of the few players in the nation to average over 20 points and 6 rebounds while shooting 60% from the field. He made it look that much easier against a team that fully shut down an explosive Clemson team on Thursday.
It can’t be overstated enough, that Purdue’s scheme was nothing more than to get it to Kaufman-Renn and let him do the rest. If Kaufman-Renn got two feet and deep positioning in the paint, you could forget about it. It was an easy two points every time. We are talking about straight dominance inside.
There would be times when Purdue ran a five-out offensive set geared toward giving the ball to Kaufman-Renn in the paint. If it wasn’t two points, then it was three for Purdue. McNeese’s zone was absolutely outworked, and for a team that can shoot the three-ball so well, this formula was working on all fronts. Guys like Fletcher Loyer, Braden Smith, and CJ Cox were having a field day with these looks and as a result, Purdue made 11 looks from beyond.
Purdue exposed McNeese’s aggressive defensive approach, got ahead early, and kept their foot on the gas pedal.
Dial up the defense and get on the glass
Matt Painter seemingly adjusted the gameplan to dial up more intensity on the glass, following Purdue’s victory over High Point. Moreover, Purdue clearly did their homework on McNeese as there was a clear focus on crashing the glass. The Cowboys gained a great advantage over Clemson on Thursday thanks to second-chance points, but that was not the story today.
Purdue secured 41 total rebounds, as opposed to McNeese’s 24. That advantage worked wonders on both ends of the ball. More importantly, this really took away from McNeese’s ability to score. As a team that relies heavily on second-chance opportunities, Purdue had an emphasis on commanding the glass.
McNeese’s two standouts from the first round were held in check. Christain Shumate accounted for only 6 points and 9 rebounds, while Quadir Copeland fouled out with 9 points.
Braden Smith can hoop
There’s a guy named Braden Smith who can put the ball in the basket. Okay, beyond that he does much more. For starters, this is an All-American who has worked within the shadows of Zach Edey for years and, finally now, has the lead role alongside Trey Kaufman-Renn.
When you have a pair of guys who can fluently run the pick and roll and get clean looks every single time, the opportunities will be vast. Purdue has shined light on how important good guard play is. When you get to the Sweet 16 and beyond you need a guard who can not only establish the offense but also pour his heart out defensively.
Braden Smith embodied all the necessary basketball skills that led to success. Smith was rebounding, passing, scoring, and defending with all-out intensity. Sometimes Smith can be excessive with his control and today he was the subject of 8 turnovers. In that category, Smith will have to be better moving forward.
On the stat sheet, Smith did not do anything too special. Smith went for a quiet 10 points (8 in the first half), 5 assists, and 4 rebounds. Ultimately, his hustle and defensive effort fueled Purdue to mount a statement win.
Also, what’s not to love about Braden Smith’s beard? That facial hair resembles March Madness through and through.
What’s Next:
Purdue, having faced a 13 seed and 12 seed, will likely meet their biggest challenge. The Boilermakers will take on the winner of No. 1 Houston and No. 8 Gonzaga. That game will be played in Indianapolis on Friday, March 28.
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