Hammer and Rails - Purdue at Eastern Michigan StreamPurdue's Okayest Bloghttps://cdn.vox-cdn.com/community_logos/52787/Hammer_And_Rails_favicon..png2012-12-08T17:21:48-05:00http://www.hammerandrails.com/rss/stream/35075292012-12-08T17:21:48-05:002012-12-08T17:21:48-05:00Eastern Michigan 47, Purdue 44: Rock Bottom
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Purdue suffers a devastating loss at Eastern Michigan. </p> <p>Purdue has had very few games under coach Matt Painter that would qualify as a "horrible loss" His first season was a short-handed team that fought hard without its two best players. Since then, only a handful of games have been truly awful to the point that everything about this team can be question. Before today, I can think of only two results that were simply baffling: The infamous Wofford game when the Baby Boilers were freshmen and last year's horrid performance at Penn State. For the record, I think the worst one was Penn State last year ebcause at least we were competitive against Wofford. Against Penn State we got blown out and gave up 21 points to a guy who was weeks from being told he should never played basketball again).</p>
<p>This loss at Eastern Michigan was as bad as those.</p>
<p>I attempted to watch this game via my Watch ESPN mobile app but it is as if the internet tried to save me from this truly dismal performance. Yes, this is a young team, but there is simply no excuse whatsoever to score only 44 points against a MAC team when you have a team with Purdue's talent. None. Judging by Twitter and the box score we can deduce a few things:</p>
<p>1. Purdue's shot selection continues to be awful.</p>
<p>2. Turnovers (the mark of a young team) were incredibly costly.</p>
<p>3. Whatever has caused <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99923/d-j-byrd">D.J. Byrd</a> to go into a funk since the Clemson game needs to be figured out. He's a better player than this, but has now hit just one of his last 15 shots from the floor and is 0-14 from long range since Clemson. He either needs to hit his shots or hit the bench because he's a liability otherwise.</p>
<p>4. Free throws continue to be an issue.</p>
<p>5. Someone needs to teach this team how to attack a zone defense.</p>
<p>That last point is a product of the current recruiting system. There is so much emphasis placed on one-on-one ability through the AAU system that few players come into college knowing how to attack the zone. I trust coach Painter because more often he has been right than he has been wrong, but he needs to recognize this and fix it. The sad thing is that it is not difficult to attack a zone. All you need to do is avoid simply passing the ball around the perimeter, move without the basketball so it doesn't stay set, and don't shoot over it if you're not a good shooting team. It is that simple, but it is frustrating that this team looks totally lost and confused against something so simple.</p>
<p>I know I am eating my own words here that I typed just a week ago, but it is time to put the talk of the NCAA Tournament to rest barring a miraculous turnaround, and I officially apology if I was harsh in defending my opinion last week. This team does no know how to win close games yet, so the rest oft his season simply needs to be a game-by-game lesson for the future. I still trust in Painter as a teacher and these players because of their individual talents. There will be some very bright moments, but some very frustrating moments. This was clearly the latter.</p>
<p>What today needs to be is the bottom, however. It does not get much worse than scoring only 44 points against a bad MAC team whether you're on their floor or not. These Boilers need to see this as the bottom and commit themselves to getting better every single game. Right now they are lost, stagnant on offense, and a terrible shooting team from the field. That is not going to win a lot of games, but it is clear from the flashes we fans have seen that the very basic building blocks are there. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/175129/ronnie-johnson">Ronnie Johnson</a> can be a great point guard in a year or two. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/175133/a-j-hammons">A.J. Hammons</a> can be a dominant center in a eyar or two. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/175135/jay-simpson">Jay Simpson</a> and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/145962/jacob-lawson">Jacob Lawson</a> can be athletic freaks. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/175137/rapheal-davis">Rapheal Davis</a> can be a dynamic scorer when he finally figures out the college game.</p>
<p>We were spoiled because the Baby Boilers came in and won right away. I held out the same hope for this group, but there is now <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26732/chris-kramer">Chris Kramer</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26734/keaton-grant">Keaton Grant</a>, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26738/marcus-green">Marcus Green</a>, or even <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/26735/bobby-riddell">Bobby Riddell</a> there to ease the transition. Instead, the five upperclassmen (TJ, Byrd, <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99921/dru-anthrop">Dru Anthrop</a>, Tacos, The Chooch) are either guys that would normally be quality backups or niche role players. Byrd thrived last season as a sixth man and deadly sniper that got looks because <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/52384/ryne-smith">Ryne Smith</a> was so deadly. Anthrop is a hustler and a great energy guy, but he is still a senior walk-on that has played sparingly in his career. TJ is a streaky shooter that can thrive when there is more experience around him. Tacos and The Chooch are guys that can give you a few good minutes as serviceable backups, but that's it.</p>
<p>Of those five you have one true starter in TJ. The Baby Boilers had Kramer and KG at the guard pots, Calasan came in and played extremely well as a JuCo transfer, and Green was a true senior leader. That supporting cast is vastly different and, dare I say it, better than what Purdue has now.</p>
<p>There is good news, however. There is still a lot of basketball to be played and it is not a lost season. Instead, it is a different season. Purdue will take its lumps and get better. If this is the bottom it could really be a whole lot worse. We've seen a deeper bottom. It was called 2004-06. The pieces are there (and three more are coming) to be a damn good basketball team within a year or two. It is the proverbial step back before a giant leap forward. In the meantime this current group needs to keep learning, keep fighting, and just prove to be a nasty thorn for any team out there.</p>
<p>This team has yet to be blown out. Yes, the five losses are ugly, but they are by an average of six points each. That means they are closer than we think. I guarantee there will be at least one game where Purdue pulls off a surprising upset later int eh year against a highly rated team. Once they figure a few things out, watch out. I trust coach Painter, even though some mistakes have been made in recruiting in the past, to teach these guys because he has been right a whole lot more than he has been wrong. Plus, he can teach all he wants, but if shots don't fall and guys don't move it means nothing.</p>
<p>Finally, I realize that I am getting older. I am going to be a father here in about four and a half months. Maybe this team can teach me a thing or two about living and dying by them. Instead of agonizing over games and analyzing teams to death perhaps I can step back, relax, and just have some fun with watching basketball again. For too long I have let Purdue affect my moods for days on end because of poor performances like this one, so maybe I can take a lesson from the team and just let it go to move on. Perhaps we can all just get better slowly.</p>
https://www.hammerandrails.com/2012/12/8/3744596/eastern-michigan-47-purdue-44-rock-bottomBoilerTMill2012-12-08T11:55:03-05:002012-12-08T11:55:03-05:00Purdue at Eastern Michigan: Road Trip GameThread
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<p>Purdue is playing on the road for the third time this year.</p> <p>We knew it would be a tricky schedule with five of the first 10 games away from the friendly confines of Mackey Arena, four of them against good teams. Today could be one of the trickier ones as we're going into a hype atmosphere. The Boilers need a win today at Eastern Michigan in the worst way so momentum can be built going into the conference season. Fortunately, Purdue played its best basketball of the season in its only true road game so far.</p>
<p>Today's game is an ESPN3/Watch ESPN game only available online, but I have found that the watch ESPN mobile app is quite nice. It worked well for the volleyball match last night.</p>
<p><strong>Eastern Michigan Eagles</strong></p>
<p><strong>Location: Ypsilanti, Michigan</strong></p>
<p><strong>2011-12 record: 14-18, 9-7 MAC</strong></p>
<p><strong>2012-13 Record: 5-2</strong></p>
<p><strong>RPI: 119</strong></p>
<p><strong>2012 Postseason: None</strong></p>
<p><strong>Blog Representation: </strong><a href="http://eagletotem.net/blog/"><strong>Eagle Totem</strong></a></p>
<p><strong>Series With Purdue: Purdue leads 3-0</strong></p>
<p><strong>Last Purdue win: 61-36 at Purdue on 12/10/11</strong></p>
<p><strong>Time: 2pm</strong></p>
<p><strong>TV: ESPN 3/Watch ESPN</strong></p>
<p><strong>Odds: </strong><a href="http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaab/purdue-eastern-michigan-odds-december-8-2012"><strong>No Line</strong></a></p>
https://www.hammerandrails.com/2012/12/8/3743476/purdue-at-eastern-michigan-road-trip-gamethreadBoilerTMill2012-12-07T14:17:05-05:002012-12-07T14:17:05-05:00Purdue at Eastern Michigan Preview
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<figcaption>USA TODAY Sports</figcaption>
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<p>Purdue is on the road for the second time this season. </p> <p></p>
<p>For the first time during the 2012-13 basketball season Purdue can move above .500 overall as the Boilermakers travel to Ypsilanti, Michigan for the final game before fall Finals week. Like many games coming up, this is virtually a must-win for Purdue. A loss to a MAC team, especially a middling one, is a bad one. While Purdue will get a slight RPI bump from winning another true road game, you simply want to come out of this one with the W. It does not necessarily have to be pretty. Fortunately, Purdue has played its basketball of the season in a true road game this year already.</p>
<p><b>Eastern Michigan</b><b> Eagles</b></p>
<p><b>Location: </b><b>Ypsilanti</b><b>, </b><b>Michigan</b></p>
<p><b>2011-12 record: 14-18, 9-7 </b><b>MAC</b></p>
<p><b>2012-13 Record: 5-2</b></p>
<p><b>RPI</b><b>: 119</b></p>
<p><b>2012 Postseason: None</b></p>
<p><b>Blog Representation: <a href="http://eagletotem.net/blog/">Eagle Totem</a></b></p>
<p><b>Series With Purdue: Purdue leads 3-0</b></p>
<p><b>Last Purdue win: 61-36 at Purdue on </b><b>12/10/11</b></p>
<p><b>Time: </b><b>2pm</b></p>
<p><b>TV: ESPN 3/Watch ESPN</b></p>
<p><b>Odds: <a href="http://www.oddsshark.com/ncaab/purdue-eastern-michigan-odds-december-8-2012">No Line</a></b></p>
<p>We should be very familiar with the eagles of late. Of the three previous meetings, two have come within the last five years. Purdue won 87-58 in the 2008 Preseason NIT and last year Purdue took a regular season game. This is the first game in the series to be played outside of Mackey Arena, however.</p>
<p>So far Eastern Michigan is 5-2, but they have a pair of wins over Madonna and Rochester College, who are not even Division I schools. Their most recent game came Monday in an 84-48 thrashing at Syracuse. The only Division I teams they have beaten are IPFW, Eastern Illinois, and Texas-Pan American.</p>
<p>Purdue rolled to an easy victory at Mackey Arena last season by holding the eagles to 36 points. Eastern Michigan scored just 14 in the second half and were led by <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100804/derek-thompson">Derek Thompson</a> with 15.</p>
<p>Thompson is back and so far has been the leading scorer at 13.6 points per game. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100766/daylen-harrison">Daylen Harrison</a> averages 12.4 points and 6.6 rebounds per game and he did not play against Purdue last season. The third scorer in double figures is 6'8" <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/101053/glenn-bryant">Glenn Bryant</a>, who averages 11.6 points and five rebounds per game. He also did not play against Purdue last season.</p>
<p>Eastern Michigan has some size for a MAC team. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100497/matt-balkema">Matt Balkema</a> is a 6'10" senior center, but he only plays 15 minutes per game and averages 2.3 points and three rebounds. Forward <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/100496/jamell-harris">Jamell Harris</a> is 6'9" and averages 3.3 points and the same number of rebounds per game. He scored eight points in last year's game.</p>
<p>Eastern Michigan will turn the ball over, averaging 14 mistakes per game. They aren't a great three-point shooting team, but Thompson is a dangerous 21 of 51 from long range. Purdue's dominance of the glass should continue as Eastern Michigan shoots only 40% as a team from the field. The Eagles are a very low scoring team, rating just 298<sup>th</sup> in the country out of 343 teams. Against Division I competition they have yet to score more than 60 points.</p>
<p>Overall the Eagles are a decent team, but there isn't a lot that is scary about them. They'll rotate in about 10 players per game, but they want to get the ball inside to Harrison and Bryant while Thompson tries to get open from three. Outside of those three there is not much there.</p>
<p>Of course, as a Big Ten team we're going to be marked going on the road to a smaller MAC venue. This is a home game they have circled for some time, so we should not expect a warm welcome. If Purdue remains cold from long range and starts missing free throws things could go south in a hurry.</p>
<p>This game will turn on how well <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/175133/a-j-hammons">A.J. Hammons</a>, Donne Hale, and the rest of our young post players play. EMU wants to go inside, so we'll be tested on the defensive end. Purdue is now one of the best rebounding teams in the nation at over 40 per game. This is another game to get some shooters on track and refine the rotations. Coach painter played everyone liberally against Lamar because he knew the boilers would win in a blowout. Since this is a tougher challenge I suspected that an 8-9 man rotation will be established. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99921/dru-anthrop">Dru Anthrop</a> earned himself some more playing time with his effort against Lamar, but <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/175129/ronnie-johnson">Ronnie Johnson</a> still needs time to develop. <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/99923/d-j-byrd">D.J. Byrd</a> also needs to find his shot after the dismal Xavier game and <a class="sbn-auto-link" href="http://www.sbnation.com/ncaa-basketball/players/124178/terone-johnson">Terone Johnson</a> needs to keep taking control. <b>Purdue 75, </b><b>Eastern Michigan</b><b> 62</b></p>
https://www.hammerandrails.com/2012/12/7/3740780/purdue-at-eastern-michigan-previewBoilerTMill