:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/27771239/465992391.0.jpg)
Well, take your pick with this one. It looked like Purdue was going to get run out of the gym, then Matt Painter brought in Stephen Toyra, who had not played a second of basketball since December 17 vs. Maryland Eastern Shore. He played a handful of minutes, scored on a backdoor cut, became a human floor burn for a turnover, and generally played with a fire not seen by anyone.
It worked, at least temporarily, as he started an 11-0 run that gave Purdue a brief 21-20 lead after a Bryson Scott layup.
After that, old Purdue showed up and Michigan played like a top 10 team. A.J. Hammons looked completely and utterly disinterested for much of the game despite having a huge physical advantage and Purdue was generally outplayed in every aspect. The worst came right before the half. Terone Johnson went to the free throw line with a chance to cut the lead to four. Hammons committed a lane violation on the first shot of the one-and-one, then Purdue played the laziest defense I have ever seen as Derrick Walton Jr. drove coast-to-coast in four seconds to score.
On that play Purdue probably would have played better defense had they simply walked to the locker room after the lane violation. Purdue then came out like Danny hope was making halftime adjustments and got run off the floor, as Michigan shot better than 63% from the floor at one point.
During Michigan's big run they scored on 16 of 20 possessions. Purdue made its run thanks to Ronnie Johnson and Sterling Carter spear-heading a press. Once the Boilers went away from that the Wolverines ran roughshod over them.
This was just awful. Painter was terrible in his calls away from the press and I have no idea why Jay Simpson didn't play. Purdue made many of the same stupid mistakes it has made all year and I have no idea why a sophomore walk-on that hadn't played in six weeks has more heart than eight guys who were top 100 players in their class.
There really is not much else to say. When your opponent shoots 61% from the field that is all on very poor defense, and that is embarrassing considering our history. If you hold Michigan to even 50%, it is a totally different game.
