Even though Matt Painter is great, and Jaden Ivey is awesome, and Zach Edey is incredible, and Trevion Williams is outstanding, and that offense is amazing, I was hesitant on a recent episode of the Eye On College Basketball podcast to label Purdue one of the top eight national title contenders solely because the Boilermakers struggle so much defensively.
It was on display Thursday night.
Final score: Michigan 82, Purdue 58.
The Wolverines shot 51.6% from the field and 57.1% from 3-point range in the 24-point victory over Purdue. Consequently, the Boilermakers now rank 126th nationally in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.com.
"When you get out-rebounded like we did, and then you get doubled up in turnovers, and you don't shoot the ball well, then you need to be very, very good on the defensive end if you want a chance to win the game, and we obviously weren't," Painter told reporters afterward. "When you look at all those — poor shooting percentages, twice as many turnovers, they outrebounded us by 10, a lot of breakdowns defensively — you're going to get beat pretty badly."
Indeed you are.
The Boilermakers are so good offensively that they can beat just about anybody when they're clicking, but their defensive issues are undeniable and have been for a while. A lot of people have said that anything short of Purdue making the Final Four this season for the first time since 1980 will be disappointing, and I get that sentiment. But the unfortunate truth is that teams that guard like this just do not make the Final Four.
Consider the following: Last season's Final Four teams entered the NCAA Tournament ranked 10th (Gonzaga), 16th (Houston), 44th (Baylor) and 86th (UCLA) in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. In 2019, the Final Four teams entered the NCAA Tournament ranked 1st (Texas Tech), 5th (Virginia), 8th (Michigan State) and 45th (Auburn) in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. In 2018, the Final Four teams entered the NCAA Tournament ranked 5th (Michigan), 22nd (Villanova), 24th (Loyola Chicago) and 46th (Kansas) in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. In 2017, the Final Four teams entered the NCAA Tournament ranked 2nd (Gonzaga), 3rd (South Carolina), 22nd (Oregon) and 25th (North Carolina) in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom. In 2016, the Final Four teams entered the NCAA Tournament ranked 7th (Villanova), 11th (Oklahoma), 14th (North Carolina) and 30th (Syracuse) in adjusted defensive efficiency, according to KenPom.
(I could keep going but you get the point.)
The bottom line is that the past five Final Fours have featured 20 teams, only one of which ranked outside of the top 50 in adjusted defensive efficiency heading into the NCAA Tournament, none of which ranked outside of the top 90. Again, Purdue currently ranks 126th. And the numbers are even more troubling if the goal is to win a national title because the past five national champions have entered the NCAA Tournament ranked 5th (2019 Virginia), 7th (2016 Villanova), 22nd (2018 Villanova), 25th (2017 North Carolina) and 44th (2021 Baylor) in adjusted defensive efficiency. Again, Purdue currently ranks 126th.
So keep this in mind as the season progresses — and especially when it's time to fill out brackets. Only a fool would suggest there's no chance Purdue can make the Final Four guarding this way because crazy things sometimes happen, but there's no getting around the fact that teams that guard this way tend to get eliminated short of the Final Four.
Purdue is down to No. 10 in Friday morning's updated CBS Sports Top 25 And 1 daily college basketball rankings. The Boilermakers' next game is Sunday at Maryland on CBS.
Top 25 And 1 rankings
Rk | Teams | Chg | Rcrd | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  | Gonzaga has won 13 straight games by double-digits - and five straight games by at least 30 points - since losing to Alabama. The Zags' next game is Saturday against Saint Mary's. | -- | 31-6 |
| 2 |  | Auburn is 12-2 in the first two quadrants and in possession of an SEC-best 10-1 record in league games. The Tigers' next game is Saturday against Texas A&M. | -- | 21-13 |
| 3 |  | Kentucky is 8-4 in the first two quadrants with all four losses coming in Quadrant 1 games away from home. The Wildcats' next game is Saturday against Florida. | -- | 22-12 |
| 4 |  | Arizona is 8-2 in the first two quadrants with the losses coming at Tennessee and at UCLA. The Wildcats' next game is Saturday at Washington. | -- | 28-7 |
| 5 |  | Kansas is 12-4 in the first two quadrants with the losses coming to Kentucky, Texas Tech, Texas and Dayton. The Jayhawks' next game is Saturday against Oklahoma. | 1 | 28-8 |
| 6 |  | Baylor is 12-4 in the first two quadrants with wins over Villanova and Michigan State. The Bears' next game is Saturday against Texas. | 1 | 23-11 |
| 7 |  | Providence is 10-2 in the first two quadrants with wins over Texas Tech and Wisconsin and losses to Virginia and Marquette. The Friars' next game is Saturday against DePaul. | 1 | 21-12 |
| 8 |  | Wisconsin is 11-4 in the first two quadrants with wins over Purdue, Houston, Ohio State, Marquette and Michigan State. The Badgers' next game is Saturday against Rutgers. | 1 | 20-15 |
| 9 |  | Houston is 6-3 in the first two quadrants after Wednesday's loss at SMU. The Cougars' next game is Saturday against Memphis. | 1 | 33-4 |
| 10 |  | Purdue is 11-4 in the first two quadrants after Thursday's loss at Michigan. The Boilermakers' next game is Sunday against Maryland. | 5 | 29-6 |
| 11 |  | Duke is 8-3 in the first two quadrants with an additional loss to Virginia falling in Quadrant 3. The Blue Devils' next game is Saturday at Boston College. | -- | 27-9 |
| 12 |  | Texas Tech is 9-6 in the first two quadrants after Wednesday's loss at Oklahoma. The Red Raiders' next game is Saturday against TCU. | -- | 16-16 |
| 13 |  | UCLA is 7-3 in the first two quadrants with an additional loss to Arizona State falling in Quadrant 3. The Bruins' next game is Saturday at USC. | -- | 31-6 |
| 14 |  | Illinois' 9-6 record in the first two quadrants includes two losses in which All-American Kofi Cockburn did not play. The Illini's next game is Sunday against Northwestern. | -- | 20-13 |
| 15 |  | Marquette is 8-2 in its past 10 contests with the only losses in that stretch coming at Providence and at UConn. The Golden Eagles' next game is Saturday at Butler. | -- | 29-7 |
| 16 |  | Villanova is 8-6 in the first two quadrants with all six losses coming in Quadrant 1. The Wildcats' next game is Saturday against Seton Hall. | -- | 17-17 |
| 17 |  | Texas is 9-6 in the first two quadrants with wins over Kansas, Tennessee and Iowa State. The Longhorns' next game is Saturday at Baylor. | -- | 29-9 |
| 18 |  | Michigan State is 9-6 in the first two quadrants but just 3-4 in its past seven games. The Spartans' next game is Saturday against Indiana. | -- | 21-13 |
| 19 |  | Tennessee is 9-6 in the first two quadrants with wins over Arizona, LSU and North Carolina. The Vols' next game is Saturday against Vanderbilt. | -- | 25-11 |
| 20 |  | Arkansas is 8-3 in the first two quadrants with two additional losses falling in Quadrant 3. The Razorbacks' next game is Saturday at Alabama. | -- | 22-14 |
| 21 |  | Wyoming is 7-3 in the first two quadrants and 11-1 in its past 12 games. The Cowboys' next game is Saturday at San Jose State. | -- | 9-22 |
| 22 |  | Ohio State is 6-6 in the first two quadrants after Wednesday's loss at Rutgers. The Buckeyes' next game is Saturday at Michigan. | -- | 16-19 |
| 23 |  | UConn is 6-5 in the first two quadrants with an additional loss to Creighton falling in Quadrant 3. The Huskies' next game is Friday at Xavier. | -- | 31-8 |
| 24 |  | Davidson is 19-1 in its past 20 games with wins over Alabama and VCU. The Wildcats' next game is Wednesday at Rhode Island. | -- | 16-16 |
| 25 |  | Saint Mary's is 6-5 in the first two quadrants with four of the five losses coming in Quadrant 1. The Gaels' next game is Saturday at Gonzaga. | -- | 27-8 |
| 26 |  | Murray State is 3-1 in the first two quadrants with an additional loss to East Tennessee State falling in Quadrant 3. The Racers' next game is Saturday at Morehead State. | -- | 17-15 |
