WATCH: Matt Painter Gives Everyone a Detailed Lesson in Purdue's Defensive Strategy
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — If you ever want to learn about the details of basketball, just spend an afternoon with Matt Painter. Hell, just spend one press conference with the Purdue head coach and you're going to leave the room a lot smarter than when you entered.
Friday night, Joe Jackson of Boilers in the Stands asked Painter about the difference in Purdue's defensive philosophy at times during the game against UCLA.
Painter gave one of the most in-depth answers you'll ever hear. It's worth a listen, especially if you want to learn about the Xs and Os of college basketball. Here's the clip of Painter's incredibly detailed response.
👨🏫 Professor of Basketball. pic.twitter.com/xmRP1F0NX4
— Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) March 1, 2025
Did you get all of that? Good.
Let's be honest, even those of us who think we have a pretty good handle on basketball got a lesson in strategy and scheme on Friday night. But it's never a bad way to expand your knowledge.
Painter's awesome response came after a 76-66 victory for the Boilermakers, snapping a four-game losing streak. Purdue is back in action on Tuesday, hosting Rutgers at Mackey Arena.
Related stories on Purdue basketball
WHAT PAINTER SAID: Purdue snapped its four-game losing streak on Friday night, defeating UCLA 76-66. Here's everything coach Matt Painter said after the game. CLICK HERE
SMITH CREDITS TEAMMATES: After breaking Purdue's all-time assist record on Friday night, Braden Smith gave a lot of credit to his teammates for helping him make history. CLICK HERE
PURDUE BEATS UCLA: A signal to the crowd, a defensive stop and a bucket from Trey Kaufman-Renn was a game-changing sequence in Purdue's win over UCLA Friday night. It may have also gotten the season back on the track. CLICK HERE
4-STAR RECRUIT TO VISIT PURDUE: Brandon Bass Jr., a four-star recruit in the 2026 class and the son of former NBA player Brandon Bass has reportedly scheduled a visit to Purdue. CLICK HERE
KAUFMAN-RENN CALLS PLAYERS-ONLY MEETING: After Sunday's loss to Indiana, Purdue junior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn said he called a players-only meeting to get the Boilermakers back on the same page. CLICK HERE
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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