Hammering Down: Purdue Still Navigating Through Offense

Purdue's offensive issues were exposed in Tuesday night's exhibition loss to No. 4 UConn. The Boilers still have plenty of room for growth on that end.

Purdue Boilermakers guard C.J. Cox (0) celebrates a basket. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Each of the past four years, Matt Painter has put his team in a position to be exposed. The goal is to uncover the oil leaks before the start of the regular season, giving Purdue an opportunity to fix some problems before the games count towards the record.

Purdue learned about itself in a painful way on Tuesday night in Hartford. The Boilermakers were no match for No. 4 UConn, falling 76-53 to drop to 2-1 in exhibition play. It was the final opportunity for Painter to get a good look under the hood and see what needs to be repaired with the opener against No. 15 Gonzaga less than one week away.

The most glaring issue from Purdue's 23-point loss at PeoplesBank Arena on Tuesday night comes on the offensive end. It's clear that this year's team is still navigating through some changes. One problem specifically stood out from the Boilers' performance: How will they score points when the three-pointers aren't falling?

Shots from behind the arc clanged off the rim throughout Tuesday's game. The Boilers finished the contest connecting on just two of 25 attempts from three-point range. Plenty of those failures can be attributed to a stingy UConn defense, but Purdue also missed its fair share of open shots.

If Purdue had shot even 33% from the three-point line — making six more shots from long range — the perception of Tuesday night's exhibition game would be significantly different. That's not how basketball works, though.

Purdue's struggles from behind the arc pointed to a larger issue heading into the upcoming season. When the triples aren't falling, how are the Boilermakers going to put the ball in the basket? Can they still find ways to grind out games in the Big Ten?

After the game, Painter said Purdue "isn't there yet" in terms of winning games when shots aren't falling. It's a lesson best learned in a preseason game in October than in a Big Ten showdown in January.

Where can Purdue's scoring come from?

Purdue Boilermakers center Daniel Jacobsen (12) dunks the ball. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Purdue tipped its hand when it played those four games in Canada in July. It was evident then that this team would rely heavily on the three-point shot. When the Boilers are hitting at a solid clip, they're going to be a tough team to beat.

We saw what can happen when those triples aren't falling, though. So, the question becomes: how can Purdue score points when it's having a poor night from long range?

The Boilers ended Tuesday's game with 24 points in the paint, 18 of those coming in the second half. They got to the free-throw line for a mere 16 attempts. Again, 11 of those were shot in the final 20 minutes.

Purdue has a group of guards capable of driving to the basket, though the Huskies did a great job of rotating defensively and shutting the water off and forcing the Boilers into tough jumpers. Still, C.J. Cox, Gicarri Harris, Antione West Jr. and Omer Mayer must be aggressive and get two feet into the paint. That would help open up the offense.

The other way Purdue can score is by getting the ball to Daniel Jacobsen in the post. He may not be a traditional anchor on the low block, but he showed some promise with the ball in his hands down low. He ended the game with just seven points, but the guards struggled to get him the ball when he had sealed off his defender or got into a favorable position against a smaller defender.

Jacobsen isn't Zach Edey, but he has improved as a scorer in the post. Getting him touches around the basket can help alleviate some of the pressure Purdue's guards feel to carry a heavy workload, especially from the perimeter.

Purdue isn't going to shoot as poorly as it did against UConn very often. This roster is loaded with quality scorers and several three-point threats. The Boilers just need to find an alternative way to get points when those shots disappear.

Finding ways to win games

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter yells at his team. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Tuesday night's exhibition game taught us that, right now, Purdue isn't a team that can afford to have an off day shooting and expect to win. The pummeling UConn put on the Boilers was a wake-up call.

One of Painter's favorite sayings over the past few seasons has been, "Who are you when shots aren't falling?" When Purdue got back to West Lafayette, it had to take a long look at itself in the mirror.

Purdue's goals every game are to win the rebounding battle and minimize turnovers. The Boilers were on the wrong side of both categories on Tuesday. UConn won the battle on the boards 40-34, and Purdue had 13 turnovers to the Huskies' 11.

Mix that with an 8% shooting night from three-point range and you have a recipe for disaster. Again, a lesson better learned in October than January.

Tuesday night may have been ugly, but the trip to Hartford served its purpose. Purdue found the areas where it continues to struggle, and it learned some valuable lessons in a 23-point loss.

Purdue's issues won't go away overnight. This is still a roster that is learning new roles and welcoming new faces. The offense is still something the Boilers are navigating. How much ground can Painter and his staff cover over the next five days before a showdown with No. 15 Gonzaga?

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