Three Thoughts From The Weekend: The NCAA Tournament

GoldandBlack.com’s Three Thoughts from the Weekend column runs every Monday morning, with analysis of Purdue football, Boilermaker men’s basketball, recruiting or whatever else comes to mind. In this week’s edition, the shocking end of Purdue’s special season and more.

ON THE NCAA TOURNAMENT

Having watched at least parts of dozens of NCAA Tournament games now, one thing strikes me as a clear common denominator in that crap shoot of an event. Experienced — actually downright old — guards win. This weekend’s games featured some of the stars of the Tournament thus far: Nijel Pack (21) and Isaiah Wong (22) of Miami; Marcus Sasser (22) of Houston; Markquis Nowell (23) of Kansas State; Baylor Scheierman (22) of Creighton; Marcus Carr (23); and Tyger Campbell (23) of UCLA; and Andre Jackson Jr. (21) of UConn to name a few. The people with the ball in their hands are grown men and I wouldn’t anticipate that changing any time soon as the transfer landscape allows every to be old at all times.

The only Big Ten team to escape the first weekend, Michigan State, rolls with two 22-year-old guards. not a coincidence.

There may not be a freshman backcourt in America that Purdue would trade Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer for, but last spring it did shoot for older guards in the portal then watched Nijel Pack, Tyrese Hunter and Malachi Smith playing this weekend.

Purdue’s going to try to build through continuity, and that’s fine, but there’s no incubator here. As far as the NCAA Tournament goes, the Boilermakers need to get old, for one thing, then try to stay that way.

Devin Mockobee versus LSU in Citrus Bowl (Photo: Chad Krockover)

ON BALL CONTROL

I’m not gonna sit here and pretend to know what Purdue’s offense will look like this season, whether it’s go-for-broke, score-50-or-die-trying Air Raid or what, but it is safe to say that Devin Mockobee ought to be set up for success, with a passing mentality keeping defenses honest in the back half, a presumed running threat at QB putting misdirection on the table and a head coach who will happily win with defense and ball control when opportunities present themselves. Ask Chase Brown how that worked for him.

Purdue recruit Myles Colvin (Photo: GoldandBlack.com)

ON ATHLETICISM

Purdue becomes markedly more athletic next season with Camden Heide exiting redshirt and Myles Colvin joining the roster. Both will have to make shots consistently and buy into guarding people, but they are the levels of both athlete and physical specimen you generally see still playing this time of year, and how their physical gifts are applied right away might be the most interesting dynamic for Purdue heading into next season.

Purdue’s not had anything like these guys and what they mean for offensive tempo/transition offense, defensive interchangeability and ball pressure defensively, stay tuned. Total unknown at this point, but all the upside in the world.

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