Boilermakers Have Answer For Gu’S Gunners

Purdue notebook

Gonzaga made 255 3-pointers in the regular season.

That led the West Coast Conference, and ranked No. 3 all-time in the conference.

Purdue allowed only 160 3-pointers and held teams to 30 percent shooting from behind the arc. That was the second-best 3-point defense in the Big 10.

So heading into today’s game, it’s obvious something has to give. And according to Purdue’s Mike Robinson, it is not going to be the Boilermakers’ defense.

“We are going to get up on them right after they catch the ball and not allow them to get the open shot,” said the senior forward.

That might not be as easy as it sounds. Purdue, which doesn’t play zone because coach Gene Keady said it allows for excuses, will have to run over and through screens to keep up with the Zags best shooter, Richie Fraham.

“They don’t switch a lot on their man-to-man, and we have to go in and set real physical screens to get Richie open on the perimeter,” said Gonzaga point guard Matt Santangelo. “And I have to be aggressive on the bounce as far as getting into the seams and getting the ball to the right players.

“I can’t allow them to push us further and further away from the basket.”

The teams that have been pushed away from the basket by the Boilermakers usually end up losing. Michigan State, one of two No. 1 seeds left, shot 3 of 19 from the 3-point line in a 70-67 home loss to Purdue. Dayton shot 2 of 17 from the 3-point line in a first-round loss to Purdue. And Oklahoma shot 4 of 19 from behind the arc in last week’s second-round loss to Purdue. “We work hard at closing out the 3-point shooters,” said Purdue coach Gene Keady. “But still stand down. In case they drive, we can hopefully contain the dribble.”

McQuay brothers

Greg McQuay has got more things on his mind this tournament season than basketball. The senior center’s brother was diagnosed with acute leukemia and is watching this NCAA Tournament from a hospital bed in northern Indiana.

Gary McQuay, who was a member of the Purdue basketball team until poor grades got him dismissed from the program before the season, has served as Greg’s inspiration.

“I did this for Gary,” said Greg, after scoring a team-high 16 points in the win over Oklahoma. “I’ve been playing with him my whole life. I just want him to get strong again.”

“His brother is a big part of all of us as far as worrying about it,” added Keady.

Greg has been wearing Gary’s No. 5 on his shoes and finger throughout the tournament.

Boilers bounce back

When the Boilermakers dropped the final game of the season to Indiana and were pushed in their first game of the Big Ten tournament, everybody was expecting an earlier exit from the NCAA Tournament.

What everybody got was a team with renewed enthusiasm and fire.

“That was a huge wake-up call for us,” said Keady. “It got us to focus and to be tougher. And we got really going.”

After shooting 39 percent against the Hoosiers and Badgers, the Boilermakers have pushed the fieldgoal percentage back over 40. The defense has also shut down the opponents. Wisconsin and Indiana shot 48 percent against Purdue. Dayton and Oklahoma, the Boilermakers’ victims in the first two rounds, shot 43 percent.

“In those two games, we didn’t come out with very much fire and intensity,” said senior Brian Cardinal. “And coach Keady told us that. We have to come out intense and be hungry because we know that Gonzaga is going to be hungry.”

The real better half

Purdue forward Mike Robinson is engaged to Michelle Duhart, a senior forward on the Boilermakers’ women’s team - which means he finds himself in a different position this March.

The men are still playing. The Purdue women - national champions a year ago - are out, having lost to Oklahoma 76-74 in the second round of the NCAA women’s tournament. That’s the same school Purdue’s men beat to advance to the Sweet 16.

“It’s not usual that they come out and lose this early in the tournament,” said Robinson, who has been engaged to Duhart for more than a year. “But it’s something that happens.

“She’s rooting for me now. She said this the first time the men’s team has gone further than the women’s team has since I’ve been here. It’s something we’re trying to make a little sweeter and advance further in the tournament by going out and playing hard. It was a tough loss for them, but we’re here to try and take care of business.”