Stefanovic Enjoying Carryover From Game-Winning Shot
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — There's nothing like the thrill of hitting a game-winning shot in the final seconds of a game. Purdue guard Sasha Stefanovic has done it a few times before, but the feeling still never gets old.
He hit a big one Saturday night, a 3-pointer with 3.1 seconds to go to beat Northwestern in Evanston. It was a must-win game for the Boilermakers against the last-place team in the Big Ten, and Stefanovic came to the rescue. He had his teammates celebrated Saturday night, and Stefanovic has hit phone blew up all weekend.
"I have a good support system with family and friends, so they definitely were excited for me to make that shot, and for us to get a win,'' he said. "It was a good way to end that game and I'm really happy that we pulled it out.''
With Purdue's NCAA Tournament hopes squarely on the bubble right now, Stefanovic's magical moment was huge, especially on a night where he didn't play very well. He was just 1-for-6 shooting on Saturday night before hitting the game-winner.
But that's what shooters do. Even on a bad night, you always expect the next one to go in.
"Me and Coach (Micah) Shrewsbury talked about that before the game, having that mentally that every single shot is going to go in,'' said Stefanovic, a 6-foot-4 guard from Crown Point, Ind. "Just having the confidence that all the work you put in, and all the mechanics I worry about, that it'll pay off, I guess, on each shot going forward. So maintaining that confidence going forward is something huge.
Stefanovic is hoping there will be some residual effect from that win, Purdue's first on the road all season in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers had lost five straight road games prior to Saturday.
The winning shot was good for the team, Stefanovic said, but it also helps everyone get a bit more confidence. It should come in handy down the road. Purdue is at home Wednesday night against Iowa, but huge road tests at Indiana, Ohio State, Wisconsin and Iowa still await.
"It's more of a confidence thing, a game like that where it's tough and you have to grind it out at the end,'' he said. "I think you're able to build a little confidence after that, to kind of get the ball rolling and see some shots go in.
"It gives us confidence, especially on the road in a tough environment. Hopefully that will get us going a little more.
Purdue coach Matt Painter is sure that shot will help Stefanovic going forward, too. Confidence is everything to a shooter.
"I think it'll be huge just because it meant so much. It's a big shot, it's a game-winner,'' Painter said. "He's done some good things for us, even when he hasn't shot the ball well. He just hasn't gotten going on the road, so hopefully that will help him. He's just got to keep working.''
VIDEO: What Matt Painter said about Sasha Stefanovic
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