3 Thoughts From Purdue's 81-65 Win Over Rutgers in Big Ten Opener
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Purdue exorcised some demons in Piscataway on Tuesday night. The top-ranked Boilermakers have had their troubles in Big Ten road openers over the years, but that wasn't the case against Rutgers this year.
From the opening tipoff, Purdue was locked in and ready for a physical, hard-nosed basketball game. Although Rutgers made a run early in the first half, the Boilermakers were in control for most of the evening, cruising to an 81-65 victory to open Big Ten play with a 1-0 record.
Here are three quick thoughts from the Boilers' win at Jersey Mike's Arena.
Braden Smith operated like a surgeon
Smith dissected Rutgers' defense in a lot of different ways. It started with his shot selection, knocking down his first three triples of the game. At one point in the first half, the star point guard had a 9-8 advantage on the Scarlet Knights as a team.
That surgeon-like demeanor continued throughout the game, getting his teammates. As he usually does, Smith had a number of brilliant passes, which included a behind-the-back dish to Oscar Cluff that resulted in an easy dunk.
Smith ended the game with 16 points and eight assists, causing problems for Rutgers' defense in multiple ways all throughout the night.
Purdue's ball movement stymied Rutgers
Purdue's chemistry and offensive knowledge really jumped off the screen on Tuesday night. Rutgers forced the Boilermakers to slow the offense down, especially early in the first half. What's the best way to beat that? Ball movement.
Smith was obviously the catalyst behind that effort, but Trey Kaufman-Renn had some great passes, especially lobs at the rim. CJ Cox, Gicarri Harris, and Fletcher Loyer kept the ball moving in order to keep Rutgers' defense scrambling. The Scarlet Knights really had no answer.
In previous years, Rutgers' ability to jump passing lanes and clog the paint would have given Purdue some trouble. But because of that ball movement, the Boilermakers were able to create open looks from behind the three-point line and close to the basket.
Boilers brought the physicality
Rutgers is known for playing a physical and tough brand of basketball. At times over the years, that has created problems for Matt Painter and the Boilermakers. That wasn't the case on Tuesday night.
From the opening jump, Purdue embraced the physicality, crashed the glass, and played hard on the defensive end. The Boilermakers won the rebounding battle 36-25. Rutgers' pressure also didn't really bother Purdue on offense, as it ended the game with just nine turnovers.
That's a great recipe for success in any Big Ten game, but especially on the road in Piscataway.
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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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