Physicality, toughness of game hurt Purdue in loss to A&M
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Texas A&M was able to dictate the game from a physicality standpoint, and Purdue lost, 70-66, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.
Texas A&M came into the game as the best offensive rebounding team in the country. They proved that on Saturday against the Boilermakers, grabbing 50% of their misses (14 offensive rebounds) and had nine second chance points.
The Aggies were also able to limit Trey Kaufman-Renn better than any other team has done so far this season. Kaufman-Renn had just 11 points on 3-9 shooting from the field, his lowest scoring output of the season.
Purdue head coach Matt Painter credited Texas A&M’s defensive gameplan and their physicality for that.
“I thought they did a good job of knocking him out, and he’s got to do a better job of being a receiver and our guys have to do a better job of seeing him when he’s open,” Painter said.
“They just threw a lot of guys at me but we got to figure out how to deal with that,” Kaufman-Renn said.
Painter wasn’t extremely concerned with Kaufman-Renn’s tough day though. He was more concerned with playing more efferently and getting quality shots.
Purdue went on a scoring drought of over seven minutes in the second half, which allowed Texas A&M to build a 12 point lead.
Purdue also turned the ball over 16 times which led to 22 Texas A&M points. The Boilermakers did not have their most efferent game from the field either, shooting 46% from the field and 34% from beyond the arc.
“We just have to do a better job of taking care of the basketball, but I love their toughness,” Painter said. “I love how hard they play.”
This loss was Purdue’s third of the season and their second in non-conference play. But this was just another game in Purdue’s challenging non-conference slate, which Painter thinks is making his team more prepared for the rest of the season.
“Nobody feels good about it, but we’re definitely a better team for playing it, because if you can handle that physicality and realize, that’s always your measuring stick right? Painter said. “So when you play people, that’s what it looks like. And we’ve faced a lot of people like that so far.”
Purdue still has another high profile non-conference game left on its schedule, another neutral site game against an SEC team. They travel to Birmingham, Alabama to play Auburn on Saturday, December 21.