Day Off Helps No. 5 Purdue Basketball Refuel for Final Regular-Season Stretch
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue star guard Jaden Ivey is an energizer bunny of sorts for the No. 5-ranked program in the nation. He averages 30 minutes per game, and it always seems like he has more left in the tank when a game clock strikes zero.
But even Ivey needs a break sometimes.
The Boilermakers didn't have a single day to refresh themselves during a 23-day stretch that included eight games. They went 7-1 in the span. But it was clear that the players were battling fatigue both physically and mentally.
So when the team finally had the day off Thursday ahead of a crucial matchup against Rutgers, the coaching staff had to remind Ivey to stay out of the gym, take care of his body and get some well-deserved rest.
"I did nothing," Ivey said, followed with a laugh. "It was the first time in a while. I needed it, honestly. Just needed to refuel a little bit. But the day after that, I was in the gym getting shots up."
After enduring quick turnarounds game after game in the last month, Purdue sits atop the Big Ten standings with a 23-4 overall record, including 12-4 in the conference. It controls its own destiny in the race for the regular-season league title.
Inclement weather held the team overnight after a road win against Minnesota back on Feb. 2 and then again in Indianapolis before making it back home. It defeated Michigan at Mackey Arena three days after the game in Minneapolis.
The Boilermakers earned four victories by just single digits in the grueling span but also suffered their worst loss of the season — an 82-58 beatdown at the hands of the Wolverines in Ann Arbor on Feb. 10.
It was the second matchup between the two programs in six days, and Purdue couldn't find any semblance of its typical, high-powered offense.
However, the team bounced back and closed the stretch with a narrow 62-61 win over Maryland at home before a victory against Northwestern on the road, 70-64.
"It was huge for us to finally get an off day. I think we deserved it," Purdue senior center Trevion Williams said. "It's been tough. But you've got to think about it as you wouldn't be here if you couldn't handle it. This is what we signed up for. It's not just us. Every team has to deal with it. Hectic schedules, always traveling and always on planes. We understand it. We just had to take it one game at a time."
The fans packing Mackey Arena were facilitators in the last four home victories. But, at times, it was difficult for Purdue to ignite them into raucous cheers and chants.
The Boilermakers lacked energy and explosiveness for most of their matchup against the Terrapins, going just 2-9 from the 3-point line in the first half. But a pivotal scoring run in the second got the crowd — and Purdue — back into the game, fueling the one-point win.
"Sometimes, you can't rely on being at home to get you going," Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "Your crowd helps you when you play well. Your crowd is really nonexistent if you don't play well. I think we saw that against Maryland. We didn't play that well, and they weren't into it like they normally are."
Against Northwestern, the team had to find its energy away from West Lafayette. It overcame 14 turnovers while Ivey scored just eight points yet still managed to lead by as many as 14 points in the second half.
The cushion was enough to stave off any comeback from the Wildcats. Purdue was solid on the defensive end of the court, and five different players made a 3-pointer during the contest.
For the fans that made the trip, it was plenty to get their voices heard in a hostile arena.
"We're an energy team. That's how we get ourselves going," Williams said. "The last couple of games, I would say we've been trying to kind of find and create our own energy, and it's been a little tough."
Purdue will look to find itself rejuvenated against Rutgers on Sunday with a more structured slate on the horizon, which includes more rest days. The team will close out the season with road games against Michigan State and Wisconsin before returning home for a rematch against rival Indiana.
The next four games will highlight the Boilermakers' cumulative experience and put it to the test, too. Just as the team appeared to be running low on gas, it gets a boost for another late-season kick.
"As you can kind of regroup a little bit, I think it can make you stronger and make you tougher," Painter said. "Just having to battle through things, it's hard enough just to play Big Ten opponents. But that's another challenge for us, that we have to be able to look at that and say this can really help us and allow us to be mentally tougher going forward."
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