NCAA Tournament 2017: It’s Not Painter’s Fault

Listen. It wasn’t his fault. If you think it was, you are sadly mistaken.

We woke this morning and the sun rose as well. It isn’t the end of the world.

Look at what is coming back, I will even assume that Biggie is leaving:

PJ Thompson - Sr ,Dakota Mathias - Sr, Vincent Edwards - Sr, Isaac Haas - Sr, Ryan Cline - Jr, Jacquil Taylor - RS Jr, Eden Ewing - Jr (Juco), Carsen Edwards - So, Matt Haarms - RS Fr, Nojel Eastern - Fr, Aaron Wheeler - Fr, Sasha Stefanovic - Fr.

That is a pretty dangerous looking team on paper, who knows, Biggie might even come back.

Last night at one point we led 33-25. That was from Coach Painter setting up great plays, great floor spacing and getting guys in the right spots. From there on out? A 73-33 run for Kansas. Listen, yes we can blame Painter a bit. But we were outmanned.

Painter can turn 3* basketball player into 4* basketball players. But, the next step for him is turning 3* athletes into 4* basketball players. In the past that hasn’t worked out well in the past, think of Kelsey Barlow or Jacob Lawson.

Those guys could have played with the Kansas guys last night, athletically. Not by playing basketball.

Our guys last night could play with Kansas in a basketball standpoint. But, you and I both watched. Kansas was on another world from an athleticism standpoint. Josh Jackson was literally floating over Vincent, Biggie and Isaac to get rebounds, I mean floating. Even their guards, Vick, Mason & Graham were floating in for offensive and defensive rebounds.

There wasn’t a darn thing that we could do about it either.

We have great, really great basketball players. But, we do not have the next level athletes that Kansas has.

You will say, “Well that is Coach Painter’s fault, we should have those guys.”

Here are some recruiting notes comparing the two teams.

Kansas:

5* - 3

4* - 3

3* - 2

These are players that played.

Purdue:

5* - 1

4* - 2

3* - 5

This is what I was saying. Painter turns 3* star ball players into 4* ball players. But there is no replacement for athleticism like they had against us. Carsen is the only guard that could play with them athletically, and he had an awful game.

Out manned, outgunned, but I just don’t think we were out coached. Bill Self has a blue blood program that we are striving to be.

Painter is getting some athletes coming in this next class, Wheeler, Ewing and Eastern will help remedy the lack of athleticism AND we return our core. We could be just as good or better next season.

Last night’s loss was tough. But don’t blame it on something that isn’t real.

You need luck in the NCAA tournament to keep advancing. Every time Coach Painter has been to the Sweet 16, his bracket lacks the luck that we need.

One year we faced Duke, they won the National Championship that year. One year we got UCONN, they lost in the National Championship, this year, we lost to Kansas, who looks like they could win it all.

Part of that is us needing higher than a 4 seed, I get that. But you hear it all the time you need luck to win a National Championship. I wish we could play someone like South Carolina in the Sweet 16. But no, we get Duke, Kansas and UCONN. It is what it is.

I am not making excuses, I am giving you facts.

If you don’t believe in Painter that is your prerogative, but I do. He is a good coach and is continuing to grow. He is still relatively young, he will be our coach for a long time. Show some support.