3/2/2026 Boilermaker Water Cooler Chat: Effort Edition
Rants, ravings, and somewhat sensical opinions following the wild, wacky, and wide-wide world of Purdue sports.
We have reached the month of March, where everything just means more in NCAA hoops. You peak at the right time, you make a run, and you make history. Legendary players cement their legacy. You leave it all out on the floor. One final run, last dance, one more shot. Let it all hang out.
Far be it of me to critique the effort and willpower of a group of legendary seniors on Matt Painter’s squad, but… if they are going to phone it in, then I will on this article.
The Games:
#13 Michigan State 76, #8 Purdue 74
The Boilers seemed like they were at least trying in this game. Izzo had his Spartans playing tough smacking Purdue in the face both figuratively and literally. Purdue responded by losing their 4th game at Mackey Arena this season.
Braden Smith had a double-double with 12 points and 10 assists. Jack Benter scored 11 off of the bench. Oscar Cluff and TKR both scored 10. Purdue had a shot late, and didn’t come through.
Purdue – MSU Photo Gallery by Mark Elsner: https://iscpurdue.com/purdue-mens-basketball-vs-michigan-state-2-26-26/
#8 Purdue 74, Ohio State 82
Purdue didn’t seem to have any urgency in this game, like they didn’t want to play. Ohio State looked like they wanted to play in March. 8 points does not do this game justice, as Purdue sleepwalked for about 35 of the 40 minutes.
Braden Smith had 20 points and 7 assists. Trey had 19 pts and 9 rebounds. Fletcher Loyer had 15 points, hitting 5 threes. CJ Cox had 13. Nothing else of note. Ohio State shot 32 free throws to Purdue’s 10. Good things happen when you try.
Break It Down:
I have always been Mr. Positivity when it comes to Purdue sports… my entire life, really. I love these guys. It may be nostalgia kicking in, it may be because being a Boilermaker fan is in my DNA, but I just keep coming back for more when it comes to Purdue. It is what I do. I have always loved the tough, gritty, workmanlike quality of Purdue athletes. Blue collar. Win lose or draw, Purdue always gave their best effort. Football, basketball, volleyball, baseball… whatever. They could always hit the locker room knowing they gave their best effort.
Honestly, the Michigan State game didn’t bother me. They are a good team that flat out beat the Boilermakers. The Ohio State game, man, that one is pretty telling. If Purdue cannot respond from a heart wrenching home loss to Michigan State, by passing the “effort eye test” against Ohio State…
Oh boy.
At the beginning of the season I expected a team that would be in position to make a March run. You never expect a final four, but I expected a team that would be businesslike enough to put themselves in position to reach that goal. I expected a final four caliber team. This team still can be a final four caliber team. The play the last several weeks shows me how mercurial this squad is. All the pieces are there. Put them together, or don’t. The next several weeks will quite literally define the legacy of three of the most decorated players in Purdue history. Not off to a great start.
What Went Well:
- The Big 3: Are getting theirs. All three averaged in double figures for the second straight week.
- Fletcher: Hit 5 threes against Ohio State. This is the Fletcher that is needed going forward. Ironically, this game marks the first time that Fletcher Loyer has hit 4 or more three pointers, in a loss, in his entire career.
- 7.5: Turnovers average per game this week. That is a really good number, despite 2 losses.
- Braden Smith: Surpassed 1000 career assists this week. This is a feat which we may never see again in NCAA history.
Opportunities for Improvement:
- Eye Test: Tells me that this team is disconnected. There is no urgency. There seems to be no motivation. It is like this team doesn’t want to be out there anymore, like they want to fast forward to March. Well, here we are. Figure it out now or flame out in the tournament.
- Close The Deal: Purdue looked lost on the last several posessions with an opportunity to defeat Michigan State. A team of leaders needs to be able to stay cool in the clutch.
- Personality Tests: Are a big deal for this Purdue team. Painter loves them. Businesses love them. I use them in my day job somewhat regularly. DiSC Assessments provide personality types with extreme accuracy. D=Dominant personalities. I=Influential personalities. S=Steady personalities. C=Compliant personalities. You can be a mixture of several of these categories, and a good team needs all sorts of personality types in order to succeed. When the goin’ gets tough, you need someone with the Dominant personality to take over. Say “screw it, I will do it myself”. Who is this player on this squad? Who is the killer? The Three Amigos, Glenn Robinson, Brian Cardinal, Chris Kramer, Baby Boilers, Carsen Edwards, Zach Edey… Killers. Who is the killer here? Each of the big 3 have showed flashes, but it is far past time for someone to take over.
Big Man on Campus:
Due to popular demand, there will be no BMOC award this week. Coffee is for closers.
A Look Ahead:
The (as of this writing) #8 Purdue Boilermakers have reached the final week of the regular season. The Boilers will start off on the road for a Wednesday night game in Evanston against Northwestern (8:30 PM, BTN). Purdue should be a favorite in this game, but who knows! Purdue has dropped several unexpected games in the purple bandbox of Welsh-Ryan Arena. Following that, we have senior night. Purdue welcomes Wisconsin for a season-ending clash on Saturday (4:00 PM, CBS). One last dance, one last ride, one last chance for the Big 3 to play at Mackey Arena.
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