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Three Key Takeaways.
- Grind It Out. At the under-four media timeout, Purdue led by 11 and everyone in the Pepsi Center (except for maybe the Little Rock bench) was ready to put a bow on the opening game. A.J. Hammons exited the timeout, knocked in a couple free throws and the Boilermakers were well on their way to the round of 32, up 65-52. Things turned a little bit when Little Rock was able to get a layup out of their halfcourt offense, then turned up their defense. Josh Hagins got a steal in the backcourt and assisted on a Jalen Jackson jumper, then got a jumper of his own after another Purdue miss. Suddenly Little Rock believed again. When Hagins hit another three to bring the Trojans back within one possession, things were on. A few possessions later, Hagins delivered a shot that will live on in March lore, and a game thought to be over minutes earlier was headed to overtime.
- Overtimes. The Hagins shot tied it, but Little Rock still had to find a way to win the game. They kept up the pressure on defense and Purdue struggled for possessions at a time to find coherent offense in a first overtime that was not a work of art. In the second overtime, it was against Hagins scoring six points to help establish the final distance between his team and the Boilermakers.
- Fight For Everything. Against a team with three talented players taller than 6’10”, all of whom have NBA aspirations, Little Rock appeared to be at a disadvantage (they rank 263rd in the nation in KenPom’s average height metric). But if there was a metric for toughness, the Trojans would have to be near the top. Despite the size disadvantage, they denied post touches, collapsed on Purdue post players when they did get the ball in there, and forced multiple turnovers on the double-teams. If there was a loose ball, there was a Trojan ready to get down on the floor to grab it. They fought the Boilermakers to a draw on the glass, grabbing 15 offensive boards. And in the second half, when Purdue extended their lead to as many as 14 and it seemed like there was no energy left in the building, Little Rock manufactured their own.
Star of the Game. Josh Hagins. The three-pointer at the end of regulation will be replayed both this March and many in the future. But his overall performance was insane, too. His final line: 31 points (a career high) on 20 field goal attempts, six assists, seven boards and five steals. His leadership shouldn’t be overlooked, either.
Sights & Sounds. Little Rock support. In an arena packed with fans from Purdue and Iowa State, Little Rock fans brought a small but vocal contingent, at the ready to harass the officials in charming southern accents and encourage their team to “play hard.” And when the gritty, scrappy team stuck around long enough to make it a game at the end, every unbiased fan in the arena jumped on the Trojan bangwagon. Maybe it was the mascot.
Wildcard. To Foul Or Not To Foul? Matt Painter got some criticism for failing to foul Little Rock prior to the Hagins three. But he explained his decision, saying that during the timeout prior to the possession, there were 17 seconds left. Normally, in that position, he would expect the opponent to try to get a quick hoop and then foul to extend the game. But when Little Rock held the ball, his team hadn’t been instructed to foul on a three. Thus, Hagins got the tough three off. It fell. And here we are, Little Rock advancing, Purdue heading home.
Quotable. Josh Hagins on his explosion after halftime. “Whether I made shots or missed them, I was gonna go out swinging.”
What’s Next? Little Rock, improbably, moves on to face Iowa State on Saturday, and they’re tough enough to give the Cyclones a game. Iowa State isn’t going to play a lot of guys, so Little Rock’s pressure and toughness could again pay dividends in the second half. For Purdue, the season is over disappointingly early and A.J. Hammons’ career in West Lafayette is finished. Assuming guys like Caleb Swanigan and Isaac Haas return next season, however, the Boilermakers again should be a serious factor in the Big Ten.