Hey! A ranked showdown that was good!
Now that’s more like it.
Brennan Linsley/AP |
Purdue's Robbie Hummel, left, fights for a rebound with Tennessee's J.P. Prince and teammate Keaton Grant.
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Most ranked matchups this season have either been sloppy or one-sided. The Paradise Jame championship was neither.
Purdue’s 73-72 win against Tennessee was nearly everything one could hope for in a Top 10 showdown – in November, or any month.
It was close throughout (a six-point lead was the most either could muster) and featured defense, impressive offensive displays (Tyler Smith’s full-court drive-and-dunk is bound for top plays) and some late-game drama.
In a 72 possession game, both teams were right around 1 PPP (Purdue 1.009, Tennessee .996), a testament to good defense and offense. Both took care of the ball (12 turnovers is excellent for any game) and were OK at getting to the line. Neither team shot lights out (47.4 eFG% for Purdue, 46.2 for the Vols), but that was because of the 3-pointers. (Don’t ask.)
It also provided a glimpse of two teams that have enough talent and skill to meet again in the Final Four. It wasn't pretty, but it was still a good game.
In fact, the game’s final play was about the only thing I’d change. Was Wayne Chism really the Vols’ best option for taking the game-winner?
(shakes head)
But hey, it’s November. It’s early in the season. Expecting a true classic at this point is probably too much.
Or not. Maybe the 76 Classic (West Virginia vs. Butler?) or the NIT (UConn vs. Duke) could be the ones…
Follow me on Twitter (@BeyndArcMMiller) and get more college basketball news at NBCSports.com.
