We got completely bullied tonight. Refs allowed a physical game, and we folded like a cheap suit - took constant hits, and didn't give back anywhere close to what we got from a physicality/grit/fight perspective.
Team caved mentally in this one.
Credit to Smith - cagey vet, great passes, set up his teammates well. Davis will probably have bruises to his chest from Smith's elbow/forearm all first half, and plenty of rage at all the jersey grabbing and offensive-line-screens - but Smith played the style of game that was being allowed tonight and took Rutgers to school.
Our offense was lost in the woods all game. No ball movement, no moving without the ball, risky passes, bad shot selection. Derkack's ability to draw fouls is very limited in a game where a ton of contact is allowed on penetration - there were not going to be any bail out whistles in this game, and he got crushed in the paint again and again.
Sommerville, Ogbole and Grant were completely lost defensively on the pick and roll and got beat again and again and again. It was like Purdue found an exploit in a video game - just hit the same button combination each time down and get good looks near the rim. We were constantly out of position and chasing all game - no team defense, or any sense of where to be, when to help, or how to recover. Just brutal defensively.
I don't know where the season goes from here. NCAA tourney is out. Chances of getting over .500 are rapidly dwindling. Harper, Bailey, Acuff, Hayes, Martini all gone after this season... and fair chance the portal claims several more. 2025-26 will again be starting from scratch with a new group of guys who have never played together before, and we'll be back to where we started this year.... minus two lottery picks.
