It took Purdue 55 years to get back to the national title game. The core of Coach Matt Painter, Zach Edey, and Braden Smith steamrolled through the Big Ten Conference and the NCAA Tournament. They had the opportunity to get a for West Lafayette but a team from Storrs was giving their all. Coach Dan Hurley with Donovan Clingan and Tristen Newton sucked all the hope away from the Boilermakers as UConn came out on top.
This NCAA Tournament national championship ended before the final buzzer. Purdue got outclassed on both ends of the floor. Coach Dan Hurley deployed defensive schemes that forced Coach Matt Painter to only run Zach Edey post-ups. The two-time National Player of the Year did pop off by knocking down 15 out of his 25 field goal attempts and going seven of 10 from the line for 37 points. He also grabbed 10 rebounds for a monster double-double.
Only Braden Smith was able to notch double-digit scoring numbers for Purdue. He recorded 12 points and did his best to navigate Dan Hurley's defensive schemes. This netted him eight assists. Aside from him, Lance Jones got into foul trouble. Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn may have hustled but their delayed reactions on defense allowed UConn to shoot on all cylinders.
Purdue gets mopped by UConn
Outside of the two stars, Purdue did not get much of an offensive boost. This left the Boilermakers faithful in frustration when the clock ran out as UConn won with a 75 to 60 scoreline.
“They played like a fucking NBA team. Purdue’s defense couldn’t handle them, and my Boilermakers just couldn’t get points in the second half. Refs sucked and gave a ton of calls to UConn, but they didn’t decide the game. It wasn’t even. GG UConn!” a user wrote.
Some were quick to point out how other members of the Purdue squad lacked production, “Zach Edey did his job tonight. The perimeter guys were 1-7 from downtown. This loss isn’t on Edey, who will go down as one of Purdue’s all-time greats.”
Others were just happy that the Boilermakers made it to the NCAA Tournament National Championship game, “Purdue was in the national championship game. They lost to a team that just won back-to-back titles. Purdue silenced the haters this season, don’t care what anyone says.”
While the heartbreak stung, the fans remained magnanimous in defeat. “Proud of this team and extremely proud of this entire season. Ever grateful for the blessing that Matt Painter is to this University. NOBODY hurts more than the players, and I promise you they will be back. Purdue will be back. Ever Grateful, Ever True. Hail Old Purdue,” Barstool Boilermakers wrote.
The improvement has been big from a one-seed that fell to FDU to being a runner-up in the NCAA Tournament. Fans' blood pressure might be high because Purdue did not get their one shining moment but they will get another shot.
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