Matt Painter reflects on Purdue’s season after title game loss
GLENDALE, Ariz. (WISH) — The Purdue Boilermakers fell short of winning a national championship on Monday, but Purdue’s season was nothing short of a success.
Last season, the team suffered the ultimate embarrassment of losing to a No. 16 seed. This season, the team set various program records en route to its first title game appearance in 55 years.
Following the 75-60 loss to UConn in the National Championship game, Purdue Head Coach Matt Painter spoke candidly with News 8 Sports Director Anthony Calhoun.
Painter talked in-depth about what this current group of Boilermakers meant to him, and how losing will positively impact their futures.
“It’s a joy to coach them,” Painter told Calhoun. “We had an unbelievable life experience of fighting to be a No. 1 seed and losing to a No. 16 seed. All of our guys embraced it. It really sets the tone for them in everything they are going to do. I told them, ‘I don’t care what you do with your job or your relationships or whatever, you are going to have adversity.’ We were able to handle that adversity, get back as a No. 1 seed, win the [Big Ten] back-to-back years, and get to the National Championship game, and it says a lot about the character of our guys.”
Purdue’s Zach Edey was named the Naismith Player of the Year for the second straight season on Sunday. The 7’4 center recorded 37 points and 10 rebounds in the title game.
“Zach Edey is a fabulous player,” Painter said. “Obviously, he was a pillar, you can’t do it without fabulous players, but all of those guys, they really dedicated themselves and sacrificed a lot so we could be successful.”
Painter’s conversation with Calhoun made it obvious why current and former players speak so highly of Purdue’s coach.
When asked about the strong Boilermaker contingent at State Farm Stadium in Arizona over the weekend, Painter was quick to credit the Purdue community.
“Purdue people are fabulous,” Painter said. “The two most important things are education and people. You don’t just leave with a degree and a piece of paper. You leave with a lot of people trying to help you and pull for you. That’s just kind of the Purdue way.”
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