3/9/2026 Boilermaker Water Cooler Chat: Irregular Season Finale Edition
Rants, ravings, and somewhat sensical opinions following the wild, wacky, and wide-wide world of Purdue sports.
I am lucky enough to be blessed with a pretty decent head of hair. Now, as I am getting older, the gray is creeping in, but that is all part of life. My hair is pretty thick, curly, and was once a radiant shade of brown-red. I cut it short, to keep that somewhat respectable, adult like, play in Peoria, Disney aesthetic. I am on local television, for crying out loud, I have to do everything in my power to overcome genetics, and look somewhat TV presentable.
“Look at that hair! (but not at his face)” -Everyone
Back in college, I had long hair. Shoulder length. I resembled an uglier, doughy-er, less charismatic, less talented, Jim Morrison, if he subsided completely on beer and Bruno Dough. Thankfully, in those days, cameras weren’t connected to phones, so there are very few pictures of me with long hair. Here’s one of the few pictures from that era, my first time meeting Gene Keady.
“Get a haircut, Ben, you look dumb.” -Everyone
This article isn’t a public chronicling of my hairstyles over the years. I am simply saying that up until the year of our Lord 2026, I haven’t been worried about losing my hair. Whether or not it was long, short, curly, gelled, or everything in between. My hair was the one feature that I could rely on.
Now, I am worried about hair loss. Not because of male pattern baldness, age, or any health concern. Nothing like that.
I am just an arm-chair quarterback. I may be tweeting and texting from my ass imprint of the couch, but I have seen some shit over the last 4 decades. The last several weeks, this Purdue team has had me grabbing fistfuls of my own hair. Still, that is not the main reason for my impending hair loss. Nope. Friction. I am going to wear a bald spot on my scalp, scratching my head in confusion as to what has happened with this basketball team.
The Games:
#15 Purdue 70, Northwestern 66
Purdue played their worst first half of the season, and was trailing by 9 against one of the worst teams in the Big Ten. Purdue turned it on in the second, eventually taking a late lead, and running away with a victory late.
CJ Cox ran the show, scoring a game and career high 27 points. Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer scored in double digits with 11 & 10 respectively. TKR added 10 rebounds, completing the double-double.
Wisconsin 97, #15 Purdue 93
One last ride in Mackey Arena for 5 seniors, one last Lance Dance for the Paint Crew, one last game to see the winningest senior class in Purdue history perform at home. Purdue brought their hustle, their intensity, and their offensive firepower. Their defense, however, was not brought. Wisconsin hit 18 threes, including a school record 12 in the first half. Some were covered, but many were wide open. 97 points, eclipsing Purdue’s 93. This is the first time in nearly 40 years that Purdue scored 90+ and lost.
Fletcher Loyer led the way with 23 points, including 6 threes. The last of which set the record for most 3 pointers in a career from a Purdue player. Braden Smith added 20 points and 9 assists. TKR had 17 points and 3 rebounds, while battling fouls.
Break It Down:
I am pulling my hair out. Purdue should not have their effort questioned this late into the season, with this leadership core. Northwestern should never have happened, but at least they pulled it out. It takes moxie to come back like that, but it takes a lackadaisical attitude to get into that position in the first place.
I am scratching my head. Yes, Purdue’s perimeter defense is not great. Wisconsin still shot double digits better from deep than they have all season. They got tons of good looks, but they still hit them all. Them all. Both can be true that 1) Purdue cannot guard a lick on the perimeter and 2) Purdue is the victim of teams shooting out of their minds. They aren’t mutually exclusive, they relate. Purdue also gets wide open looks from three, and still shoots a reasonable percentage. Not the Boilermaker opponents. They hit god-mode.
Purdue has lost 5 games at Mackey Arena this season. They are a decidedly better team on the road. Makes no sense. Boilers lost 7 games in the regular season. 5 of them at Mackey Arena. None of this makes sense. Mackey used to be a feared venue.
I am here, scratching my head over a scoring drought that you can set your watch to… the regularly scheduled “bomb away from 3” segment of each game… the “of course that went in” circus shots…
Purdue is due some luck. Hell, Purdue is due to just click. Purdue is due just one game to put it all together. They still haven’t done that. That is why this season has been so frustrating. This team CAN do it. We know it. We’ve seen the flashes. Lets see the product.
It’s Frustrating:
That the winningest senior class in Purdue history had to go out like this. This senior class gave us their blood, sweat, and tears for 4 years, and couldn’t leave Mackey Arena with a good taste in their mouth.
Who knows, maybe this will be the final motivation. Maybe Saturday is the catalyst to actually make things click for this team.
Purdue can absolutely win a national title. They absolutely can lose in the first round of the Big Dance. Its head scratching, really… unreached potential is just so frustrating.
I am glad that I could be present to honor this group of players. Their work ethic, their professionalism both on and off the court, and their dedication and loyalty to Purdue University, is something near and dear to all of our hearts.
Big Man on Campus:
CJ Cox has proven to be one of the most dynamic players on the Boilermakers. His 27 point outburst almost single handedly won the game against Northwestern. I am absolutely looking forward to seeing this young man becoming a star for the Boilermakers.
The Big Ten Tournament:
Has rarely helped Purdue. Even when they win, the projected seed rarely changes. The only event which rivaled my distain for the Crossroads Classic is the Big Ten Tournament. Purdue garnered the 7 seed in the Big Ten Tournament. From consensus #1 in the nation, to arguably the #7 team in the Big 10, is one hell of a character arc.
Anyways, Purdue plays on Thursday. Their opponent is not for sure yet, but right now it looks like they will play Indiana, if the chalk hits on the tournament.
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