How Does Purdue's Response After First Loss Compare to Final Four Season?
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When Purdue suffered an 81-58 loss to Iowa State in early December, there were plenty of questions swirling around West Lafayette. How would the Boilermakers respond to their first loss of the season? To put it mildly, Matt Painter's team has "gotten off the canvas."
Purdue has won each of its last three games by at least 20 points with an average margin of victory of 25.3 points per game. In the Boilermakers have defeated Minnesota, Marquette, and Auburn.
Usually after a loss, there's a slight sense of panic that seems to set in, at least temporarily. That's the nature of fandom. The same thing happened in the 2023-24 season when Purdue suffered a 92-88 overtime loss to Northwestern in Evanston in early December. That team went on to play in the National Championship Game and finished the year with a 34-5 record.
How does Purdue's three-game stretch after the Iowa State loss compare to the three-game run the Boilers had immediately after suffering that defeat to Northwestern during the 2023-24 campaign?
The competition hasn't been quite as challenging this year, but the performances have been equally as impressive.
Purdue after Iowa State loss (2025-26)
The Boilermakers have been dominant since that 23-point loss to Iowa State at Mackey Arena. They have won every game by at least 20 points, which included a 28-point drubbing of a ranked Auburn team in the Indy Classic.
After the loss to the Cyclones, Painter told his team, "champions get off the canvas." Purdue has certainly responded to that message and has put together an impressive three-game stretch.
- #6 Purdue defeated Minnesota 85-57 (Big Ten)
- #6 Purdue defeated Marquette 79-59
- #6 Purdue defeated #21 Auburn 88-60 (Indy Classic)
None of Purdue's three opponents have scored more than 60 points, and the Boilers exceeded 80 points in two of those three contests. Their average margin of victory has been 25.3 points per game.
Braden Smith has fueled the charge, averaging 11 points and 12 assists per game.
Purdue after Northwestern loss (2023-24)
During that 2023-24 season, Purdue opened Big Ten play in early December with a road loss to Northwestern in Evanston. At the time, some wondered if the Boilermakers were poised for a Final Four run, despite returning nearly all of its production from the previous year.
In the next three games, Purdue rattled off a trio of impressive wins, hitting the 90-point mark twice and getting a pair of wins over SEC teams on neutral courts.
- #4 Purdue defeated Iowa 87-68
- #4 Purdue defeated Alabama 92-86 (Hall of Fame Series)
- #3 Purdue defeated #1 Arizona 92-84 (Indy Classic)
Zach Edey was unstoppable in those three games, scoring 82 points in those contests and leading Purdue to a 3-0 record. The Boilers' margin of victory average was only 11 points per game (inflated by the Iowa win), but the competition in those three games was fairly challenging.
Final thought
Does Purdue want the game against Iowa State back? Obviously. No team wants a 23-point home loss on its resumé. But the Boilers don't get that opportunity.
The only thing Purdue could do was respond like a team who wants to compete for a national championship. That mission has been accomplished.
Over the coming weeks, the Boilermakers will play more challenging opponents, especially in the Big Ten. There are several tests that still await Painter's bunch.
How Purdue has already responded to its first taste of adversity is a positive sign.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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