I Almost Feel Bad For Purdue, Almost

I almost feel bad for the Purdue Boilermakers, ALMOST. Poor Matt Painter walking back to the locker room looking like Tobias Funke doing his sad walk. If this Purdue team made the national title game in any year the last decade, PU would have walked away from March with a national title victory (except maybe Villanova year.) BUT, Purdue played for the 2024 national title, and ran into the buzz saw that is the Connecticut Huskies. 

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UConn didn't just beat Purdue, UConn slowly suffocated PU until they were about to draw their last breath, then curb stomped them. The Huskies were lockdown, not allowing Purdue to take a single uncontested shot. Not to mention Purdue couldn't buy a rebound. The Boilermaker's biggest weakness was their guards who needed to step up in a big way and couldn't. Fletcher Loyer 0 pts, Lance Jones 5 pts, Braden Smith 13 pts. All Purdue could do was throw the ball down to Zach Edey who scored an insane 37 points while the rest of the team put up 23 points. THE WHOLE TEAM HAD 23 POINTS!  But, this isn't 1940's basketball, and in the year 2024 we've figured out through super computers and advanced algorithms that 3's are worth more than 2's. SO, UConn was fine letting Edey eat in the paint while stopping everyone else. 

Purdue was so close they could sniff the title. I have friends and family that are massive Purdue fans, and I'm almost ready to feel sorry for them. They deserve something for their troubles. Robbie Hummel's ACL, the last second put back by Virginia in the Elite 8, and now losing in the title game which would have erased the stink of getting embarrassed and booted by the 16 seed in the tourney last year. I'm almost ready to feel sorry for the Boilers … I don't … but I'm definitely thinking about it. 

I thought the saddest thing in the world was in 2019 when my grandpa told me over the phone there is always next year after Virginia ripped out Purdue fan's hearts, especially when an old guy like him might not see next year. He was 88 at the time, literally just existing hurts his old bones. BUT tonight after he almost saw Purdue accomplish what he's waited his whole life to see, and he said the same thing to me over the phone … THAT was the saddest thing in the world. BUT, part of me thinks he keep will keep getting next year, and will live forever. For some reason he is being punished with watching Boilermakers fall short of their goal for the rest of time. 

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My grandpa and the rest of the country did think this put back dunk from Camden Heide was incredibly nasty. What a highlight to remember forever from a game you want to forget as quickly as possible. 

This game may have sucked, but it was one hell of a season. A lot of talent returning to West Lafayette, and I'm sure Matt Painter has already lined up some 7 footer to slide into the lineup, and fill Zach Edey's massive shoes. So don't worry Boilermakers, like my Grandpa always says, there is always next season. 

P.S.   Dan Hurley sure is starting to get annoying. When does UConn reach Duke levels of hatable? I'd say they are right on the cusp. Die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain. Still a legend for this …