EAST LANSING, Mich. – Purdue coach Matt Painter answered every question for 11 solid minutes before taking a walk off shot at reporters on Saturday.
"You guys broke the record for questions, jeez" Painter said with widened eyes and a half-smile.
MORE: Miles Bridges buzzer-beater gives Michigan State a moment to build on
Painter candidly answered those questions after Purdue's 68-65 loss at Michigan State on Saturday, which came three days after a 64-63 loss to Ohio State. The Boilermakers (23-4, 12-2) went from a team on a 19-game win streak to one-game behind the Buckeyes and tied with the Spartans without the benefit of head-to-head victories. Purdue still earned a No. 1 seed in the early bracket reveal Sunday, but this team faces more questions heading into the closing stretch after those two heart-breaking losses against Big Ten teams fighting for those top-line seeds.
"You lose today on a step-back 3-pointer and you lose on a tip-in after you get a stop by another great player," Painter said. "Keita Bates-Diop made a heck of a play, and Miles Bridges made a heck of a play.
"There's a fine line between winning and losing," Painter continued. "We've won a lot of games this year, possession type of games, and we've lost a few. You've gotta learn from it. That's the main thing, if you can be better because of it down the road in March. That can help."
There's no panic at Purdue, and there shouldn't be. The Boilermakers have four players that average double figures in Carsen Edwards (16.9), Vince Edwards (15.1), Isaac Haas (15.0) and Dakota Mathias (12.0). The Boilermakers shoot 43.1 percent from 3-point range, and had just three turnovers in the loss to Michigan State.
"That team is a Final Four team," Michigan State coach Tom Izzo said. "I don't want to put any pressure on them. I just know how hard they were to guard. They missed some shots in the second half."
MORE: Three Big 12 upsets shock college basketball
Michigan State's game plan revolved around limiting the 3-pointers and giving Haas, a 7-foot-2 center, one-on-one opportunities. Haas scored 25 points, but he finished 12 of 22 and just missed the go-ahead shot before Bridges' game-winning 3-pointer. That's going to be the next adjustment. Haas can be a dominating player in the middle. He'll have to be in March.
"We just keep going to the well," Painter said. "He's a good player. Isaac Haas is a good player. One for more possession for us and you guys would be talking about the greatest thing in the world is to keep going to him."
There's that fine line again. Edwards, Haas, Mathias and P.J. Thompson are part of a senior class that has produced a 76-21 record the last three seasons. The Boilermakers reached the Big Ten tournament championship in 2015-16 and won the regular-season championship in 2016-17. Yet this group hasn't advanced past the Sweet 16.
"They've heard every speech I've had," Painter said. "I've got four guys. They're tired of my speeches. They want to win."
MORE: St. John's Shamorie Ponds continues unrivaled form
Purdue hasn't reached the Elite since 1999-00, when a similar group led by Brian Cardinal made that run. Haas will need to be that big man for the Boilermakers to make this run, and this team is capable of making good on Izzo's prediction.
That's been the question since Purdue's last Final Four appearance in 1980.
There's also pressure to do that. Painter handled the aftermath of a week that hurts not but might pay off later. He took a series of questions about how the Boilermakers will adjust if other teams copycat the Spartans' strategy on Haas.
"You guys should get your own teams," Painter answered. "Damn."
That drew a laugh, and Painter took the rest of the questions in stride, perhaps because he knows this team can answer when the time comes.
"We lost this game but we're better," Painter said. "We're better than we were two-and-a-half-hours ago."
