Today's beat down of #6 West Virginia will throw a few more logs on that fire. Forget the rankings and ratings. Forget that West Virginia was undefeated (by the skin of their teeth). What mattered today was how the Boilers would be able to score and defend against an elite team, a team from a power conference loaded with NBA talent. Last year, Purdue was humiliated at home by a Duke team that aptly fit that description (particularly with Gerald Henderson Jr.). It was a harbinger of struggles to come (and their Sweet 16 dismissal by UConn).
This year? The Boilers appeared to be the team with the unrelenting ball pressure and the loads of NBA talent. Is there a better big in the country than JaJuan Johnson? You can have Luke Harangody, I'll take the explosiveness and lean quick leaping ability of Johnson, and his feathery turn-around touch any day of the week. Is there a smarter and more solid big wing than Robbie Hummel? Kyle Singler is fantastic, and obviously swingmen like Evan Turner and Manny Harris and Xavier Henry are in a different athletic category (not really "big wings" in my classification, more "threes"). That said, I'll take Hummel on my squad in March and every game leading up to then.
It is very easy to overrate a team based on one good game; particularly when they play at home. However, Purdue showed me three qualities that differentiate talented teams from great ones. One, an uncanny unselfishness I have only seen one other team play with this year (Syracuse). It is impossible to take away one aspect of the Purdue offense and stifle them completely. They can score inside with Johnson. E'Twan Moore is an excellent creater from the perimeter. Hummel can create, step-back, spot up and even get you junk baskets. There isn't a single point of attack upon which to focus the defensive gameplan.
Secondly, they place enormous pressure on the ballhandler, making it nearly impossible to initiate offense early in the shot clock. The result is tough, forced shots late in the clock and mounting frustration. The obvious answer is to try and run on them, but the discipline of Chris Kramer makes that tactic tough as well. Watch how far away from the hoop West Virginia was getting into their sets. This eliminates back cuts and skip pass opportunities and forces teams to create individual shots. It works in the NBA, but rarely is it an effective offensive tactic in college. Today's game illustrated that perfectly, watching WVU struggle despite NBA-level talent in Ebanks and Butler.
Lastly, they have tremendous veteran leadership and amazing understanding of their roles. Johnson and Moore are great at what they are supposed to bring, namely an inside scoring and defensive presence and ability to create offensively. A finally healthy Hummel scoring, scraping and defending makes this team complete. But, in my estimation, it is Chris Kramer that makes them compete. He rarely looks to score but you'll be hard pressed to find a better on, or off the ball defender from the point guard position in the entire country. Throw in an improved bench (particularly freshman Kelsey Barlow) and you have one of the most complete and solid teams in the country.
The "Baby Boilers" have grown into legit national title contenders in 2010They still have yet to be severely tested in a road game, and their first 35 minutes at Alabama might be cause for slight pause. But not to worry, they will get plenty of opportunities for road tests real soon (next weekend at Wisconsin in the seldom-won-at Kohl Center; Feb 9th at Mich. St, and late Feb @ Ohio State with Evan Turner possibly back).
But for now, this afternoon in West Lafayette, Purdue answered many of the nagging question surrounding their potential to contend for a national championship with a resounding YES.
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