PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Familiar feelings began resurfacing at Amica Mutual Pavilion on Thursday in the first round of the NCAA Tournament. Purdue squandered a 10-point halftime lead and High Point was prepared to pounce. It looked like the Boilermakers were going to let another one slip away.
The scoreboard read 59-56 in favor of Purdue after a dunk from High Point’s Juslin Bodo Bodo. Every fan inside the arena was on their feet and roaring, hoping to see the 13th-seeded Panthers bounce the fourth-seeded Boilers from the tournament early.
Purdue had been in that situation a number of times over the last month, usually ending up on the wrong side of the result. And, to be honest, it seemed like that was the path the Boilers were traveling down.
Staring a first-round elimination in the face, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith decided they weren’t interested in leaving Providence on short notice.
With 6:48 to play, Kaufman-Renn had the ball in his hands with the shot clock expiring. With a High Point defender draped all over him, the junior forward hit a fadeaway jump shot to stop the bleeding and silence the crowd.
That bucket kickstarted a 7-0 run for the Boilermakers. After Kaufman-Renn’s miraculous buzzer beater, Smith scored the next five points, a layup and a triple to put Purdue ahead 66-56.
In the matter of two minutes, Purdue delivered the kill shots necessary to take down a feisty and ferocious Panthers team. It was the spark the Boilers needed to secure a 75-63 victory and reach the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
“Yeah, that was an incredible shot and we were lucky that went down. I looked at him funny, too,” Smith said Kaufman-Renn’s shot, laughing while giving his teammate a hard time.
“They were a great team and they were here for a reason and they showed why. The game was so back-and-forth the entire time. I think me and Trey and all these other guys that have been through it, we kind of understand how to keep our composure and stay with the game plan. There’s going to be ups and downs, just make the next play and keep going. I think we made some good plays down the stretch.”
Aside from some poor shooting to start the game, Purdue played well for a majority of Thursday’s first-round game. But that two-minute stretch in the second half — immediately after High Point made its strongest push of the game — was exactly the kind of response the Boilers have lacked in the last nine games.
Time and again, Purdue put itself in position to win games down the stretch of the Big Ten regular season. This is a team that lost four games in which it led by nine points or more during the last month of the year.
After High Point stole the momentum, it felt like it was happening again.
On this occasion, though, Purdue didn’t allow the circumstances or the crowd to rattle its confidence. When the Boilers needed someone to take command of the game, their two veteran leaders stepped up.
“We talk more in terms of the execution of what we’re running or what we’re trying to stop,” coach Matt Painter said. “We (tell them) to just keep your poise and stay with it. Braden gets worked up when people foul him and they don’t call it — just stay with it. Win the game.
“You get into trouble when you don’t move to the next play. You get caught up into it. No matter what you feel — the crowd gets into it or it gets to be a close game — you can still do your job. You can feel however the hell you want to feel … if you’re supposed to set a low ball screen, set a low ball screen. Just do your job.”
At times this season, “moving to the next play” has been an issue. There have been instances when missed shots, turnovers or questionable officiating has affected Purdue’s psyche. It happened often during the final nine-game stretch, with the Boilers losing six times.
Purdue faced another major storm on Thursday in Providence, but was able to weather the harsh conditions. As scary as it may have been, it might be the kind of victory that provides the Boilermakers with the confidence necessary to make a deep run in March.
In this tournament, the Boilers are going to face adversity. They’re going to have to deal with hostile crowds. And, most importantly, they’re going to have to withstand furious runs made by its opponents.
Just a few weeks ago, High Point’s second half run may have resulted in a loss for Purdue. On Thursday, though, the Boilers showed signs of growth and maturity.
It could be a sign that Purdue has recaptured the momentum it had earlier this season. The Boilermakers couldn’t have found it at a better time.
PURDUE GAME STORY: No. 4-seed Purdue grabbed 19 offensive rebounds, and all those extra possessions helped the Boilermakers knock off High Point 75-63 in their first-round NCAA Tournament game Thursday in Providence, R.I. Trey Kaufman-Renn had 21 points, and Braden Smith added 20. CLICK HERE
COLVIN, HEIDE BIG DUNKS: Purdue wings Myles Colvin and Camden Heide had two ferocious putback slams in the first half of Thursday’s NCAA Tournament game against High Point. CLICK HERE
NCAA TOURNAMENT SCHEDULE TRACKER: Here is our bracket story, with dates, game times, TV information and more for every game in the NCAA Tournament. Follow along in real time with updates throughout all 16 games on Thursday. CLICK HERE
BOILERS AMONG CBB ELITE: With a 10th straight NCAA Tournament appearance and receiving a top-four seed for the eighth consecutive time, Purdue is among the elite college basketball teams. CLICK HERE
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