Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/110157
In its first win over two times harder Purdue since February at us, I don���t underof 2009, Illinois flipped stand why we���d get the script. outrebounded and After getting beat outplayed.��� in the rebounding colPurdue again umn 52-39 on Jan. 2, committed 17 turnIllinois dominated the overs, allowing Ilglass this time around, linois far too many as Purdue allowed a scoring opportunistaggering 20 offensive ties off them. rebounds to a team Key Player that, on average, has He only scored been outrebounded by nine points, but Ilopponents this season. linois guard Joseph On numerous occaBertrand epitomized sions, the Boilermakers how badly the Illini seemed to stand around outworked Purdue, while Illini darted past totaling 12 rebounds them for putbacks. off the bench, in���It wasn���t like we cluding a half dozen were going to box out offensive boards. and they were beatKey Stretch Jamie Owens ing us to the punch. Offensive reWe weren���t even box- Sandi Marcius, one of the bright spots in the 28-point loss to Indiana, denies bounds factored Cody Zeller at the rim in first half action. ing out,��� said Painter, heavily into the 17-4 who was ejected with run Illinois used in a little more than eight the first half to dishistorically aims to be: Effort. minutes remaining. ������ The fact ���I couldn���t tell you (why it tance itself from Purdue. that (Illinois) is hustling and happened),��� said guard Terone Key Stat making energy plays puts you Johnson, who scored 18 points. The 20 offensive rebounds in a bad position. Our guys ���It���s just frustrating for it to be were the most Purdue���s alhave to do a better job.��� February and those types of lowed in a game this season, The rebounding issue put a things are still happening. For one more than it gave up face on the greatest issue that us to come out knowing that���s against West Virginia in a game surfaced in Assembly Hall and how we (won) last game against the Boilermakers won by 27. one that belies what Purdue has Illinois, knowing they���d come TAKEAWAYS S There is no greater indicator of how badly Purdue���s traditional identity has eroded this season than the fact that the Boilermakers are last in Big Ten in scoring defense in league games, allowing nearly 70 points per game, a full point worse than last place Penn State. The Boilermakers have allowed 40 or more points in four of their past five halves, dating back to halftime of the Michigan State game and seven of its last 12, dating back to the first Indiana game. S If there is a greater indicator of how badly Purdue���s traditional identity has eroded this season, it���s this: In Big Ten games, the Boilermakers are worst in the league in turnover margin, at minus-2.31. S Good for Sandi Marcius that the reserve big man is playing harder than anyone else on the roster right now and seemingly being the most positive influence, but how can that be? It was fitting that Painter got tossed from the Illinois fighting for the one guy who seemed to be fighting for him with his play. S No one player is responsible for Purdue���s struggles more than any other, but it goes without saying Purdue can���t live with the inconsistency of effort and engagement freshman big man A.J. Hammons is showing. He���s far too important to this team to be so turbulent in his effort. In two losses on the road this week, he totaled seven rebounds. S It���s easy for a coach to simply blame effort for a team���s problems, but in this case, there are numbers to back it up. The one statistical category generally believed to be directly linked to effort is rebounding, a phase of the game Purdue was, at worst, solid in early in the season, but not lately. In Big Ten games, Purdue is dead even in rebounding margin ��� it should be a plus, you���d think ��� and was outrebounded by 10 and nine at Illinois and Indiana, respectively. j GoldanDBlack express ��� volume 23, express 22��� ������ 7