2025-26 Purdue Basketball: Let’s Have Some Enjoyable

Can a Final Four be medicinal?

As lots of , I used to be away from Hammer & Rails, the positioning I began means again in 2009, for the previous three years. Casey and I have been doing our work over at Rivals.com earlier than they have been purchased out by On3, ending a tenure that, on reflection, appears like a enterprise that was doomed from the start. In that point we witnessed the bottom of lows for Purdue basketball with the loss to Fairleigh Dickinson and the best of highs with the breakthrough to the nationwide title recreation only a 12 months later. Casey did an amazing job documenting that and can proceed to take action right here as we embark on probably the most anticipated season in program historical past. Being again right here appears like residence.

Ridiculously excessive expectations have turn out to be the norm for this program. For many people, the 12 months 2020 gives a transparent delineation of “Before COVID” and “After COVID”. In 2019-20 the Boilers dipped to 16-15 after a pleasant little three-year run. That run noticed Purdue attain three Sweet 16s, win two Big Ten titles, and are available inside a second of the Final Four. Purdue was very, excellent, nevertheless it wasn’t fairly at that higher tier of school basketball.

The final 4 years have been totally different. After returning to the NCAA Tournament in 2021 the Boilermakers have arguably been among the finest 5 groups within the nation (a minimum of through the common season). This 12 months marks the fourth time in 5 seasons Purdue has been ranked No. 1 after by no means reaching that rating earlier than. Zach Edey grew to become probably the most dominant and embellished participant in faculty basketball within the final 40 years. Last 12 months’s 24-11 season and Sweet 16 look can be one of the best season for about 95% of school basketball groups, however for us it was thought of a “down” 12 months.

It all began with that 2021-22 season, the place the Boilers received to No. 1 for the primary time solely to lose their very first recreation because the nation’s high ranked staff. Even earlier than that, expectation hit a stage by no means earlier than seen. Before that season I wrote right here about these expectations, and the way, as a fan, the dearth of March success had begun to weigh on us.

I’ve seen Purdue do every thing in faculty basketball besides make it to the final weekend. It has turn out to be an obsession in my mind. I have to see it. Big Ten titles are usually not sufficient. Preseason accolades are usually not sufficient. Only March issues. Until we make it, every thing else appears like a disappointment, particularly after being within the enviornment in 2019 and being half a second away. I’m a Cubs fan, they usually even received the rattling World Series in my lifetime. We can’t get one rattling Final Four once we’ve been rather a lot higher at our sport than the Cubs?

15,205 days, and that 40+ years is just there due to one half second.

Those phrases got here earlier than a lot. The 2021-22 season was most likely probably the most anticipated season to that time and by many measures it was successful. Purdue received 29 video games, nevertheless it felt like a failure as a result of 4 final second losses value them a Big Ten title. It additionally got here up brief within the Big Ten Tournament title recreation, then the St. Peter’s recreation continued the “Can’t win when it matters” narrative.

It appeared like Purdue had missed its golden probability, as gamers like Trevion Williams and Jaden Ivey have been gone. Then Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Fletcher Loyer confirmed up. As freshmen they performed nicely past their years, all whereas Edey grew to become an unstoppable drive. Purdue rolled by way of a troublesome non-conference season, received to No. 1 once more, and cruised to a Big Ten title. By each metric the season was a roaring success and that staff significantly overachieved its preseason expectations.

Then it was fully ruined in two hours in Columbus.

Until March 17, 2023 Purdue was having perhaps its finest season at school historical past. It ended as a laughingstock, struggling arguably the worst loss in the whole historical past of the NCAA Tournament. Purdue was 29-5 and received a number of championships, nevertheless it needed to spend the offseason haunted by that FDU loss. Let’s additionally not neglect that of these 5 losses, two have been to bitter rival Indiana (together with the primary in Mackey Arena to the Hoosiers in a decade), including just a bit extra sting to that FDU loss.

That led to 2023-24. Once Edey introduced his return there was just one factor that might qualify the season as successful: taking part in in Phoenix on April 6, 2024. As a fan, it felt like nothing else mattered. Winning arguably the hardest Maui Invitational subject ever? Pssh. A 26^th Big Ten title, lapping the league by three video games? A pittance.

The solely factor that mattered have been these 10 days in March. As a fan, that FDU loss haunted the whole 12 months. With each win, each excessive rating, it got here with the asterisk of “but can they do it in March?”

On March 22, 2024 the possibility at redemption lastly started. That 10 day stretch from the 22^nd in opposition to Grambling State in Indianapolis to the 31^st in opposition to Tennessee in Detroit was a crucible. Two simple wins in Indy in entrance of a partisan crowd over Grambling State and Utah State relieved a few of the strain, however even after reaching a faculty season file of 31 wins following the Utah State recreation there have been nonetheless two to go. They have been the 2 hardest steps this profitable program had had probably the most tough time taking. Since 1980 it had solely even efficiently taken the primary one, a Sweet 16 win, 3 times in 1994, 2000, and 2019. The 80-68 win over Gonzaga, the second of the season over the Bulldogs, introduced the Boilers to their closing boss: the Elite Eight.

Call it superstition. Call it madness. Call it no matter. For the whole season resulting in the tipoff of the Tennessee recreation I felt like there was zero probability we have been going to the Final Four. I do know I’m within the minority there, however I had been burned too many instances. The FDU recreation had killed one thing in me. It had killed all hope. I spent the whole season ready for what felt just like the inevitable March loss. Even all through the Tennessee recreation I couldn’t even entertain the considered successful. I knew higher. Five years earlier I let my guard down and thought for a second we have been going to the Promised Land when the missed free throw was batted away from the basket and Kehei Clark grabbed it going the mistaken means 60 toes away with lower than 4 seconds left. It was the one time that evening I believed we have been going to win, and I used to be instantly stabbed within the coronary heart.

Against Tennessee, I wasn’t letting that occur once more. I couldn’t be in Detroit. I had gotten laid off from my essential job two weeks earlier than and couldn’t justify the expense. I sat in my front room agonizing at the same time as Edey placed on his Superman cape and personally dragged us by way of the afternoon. We have been getting it executed, however Purdue solely led by 3 after the ultimate media stoppage. How many instances had we misplaced video games that shut in these closing 4 minutes of what I name “Winning Time?” Hell, all of these final second losses to Rutgers, Wisconsin, Michigan State, Indiana, and Northwestern have been nonetheless extremely contemporary, and this was probably the most intense recreation of these all.

With 2:43 left Lance Jones, a one 12 months employed gun coming into this system, rose and hit what I believe is the most important shot within the historical past of this system. 8 months earlier we had completely no concept who he was. In that second, he turn out to be an immortal. His three, on a day the place Purdue struggled from lengthy vary, gave us respiration room. As the years move I believe that three will tackle increasingly more significance. It is mainly the 2004 Dave Roberts steal for the Red Sox, just for Purdue basketball. Edey dominated the ultimate 160 seconds on each ends of the ground, and with 6.9 seconds left, we got an unbelievable reward.

Fletcher Loyer rebounded Zakai Zeigler’s missed three pointer and Tennessee elected to not foul and delay the inevitable. With a six level lead, Loyer was capable of dribble out these closing seconds we have been robbed of 5 years earlier. I do know I used to be not the one one which collapsed onto the ground sobbing as a result of, lastly, it occurred. They have been 6.9 further seconds we received to have fun. They have been a present. They have been the seconds that we have been robbed of in Louisville 5 years earlier. Lifting the Final Four trophy was our Zihuatanejo second. Even beating NC State per week later felt a little bit anticlimactic. For many years, simply making the Final Four felt like an not possible dream. Now you’re telling me there was an opportunity we would win it once we get there?

Of course, we all know what occurred. Purdue misplaced the nationwide title recreation to maybe the one staff that might beat it straight up. UConn was higher, nevertheless it nonetheless didn’t take away from the second that many people had waited a lifetime for.

That brings us to now, and expectations. For the primary time ever, Purdue is the preseason No. 1 staff in faculty basketball. It has three starters again that performed in that title recreation and who’ve began over 100 video games collectively. It has one other record-setting participant in Smith, who’s the favourite to win National Player of the Year like Edey and will set an all-time NCAA file for profession assists. The staff, by each commonplace, is totally loaded. It boasts expertise. It boasts expertise. It has a humiliation of riches that 360 different Divisiuon I groups can solely dream of. It even addressed its essential weak point (put up protection) from 2024-25 in getting Oscar Cluff as one of the best heart accessible within the portal. This is a staff the place a 27^th Big Ten title will not be sufficient. It has one objective: to be taking part in on April 4, 2026 simply 69.7 miles away from Mackey Arena in Lucas Oil Stadium, the place final season ended.

And this time, there is just one expectation:

I believe the 2023-24 season is likely to be the distinction maker this 12 months. Before Loyer dibbled out these final 6.9 seconds in opposition to Tennessee it all the time felt like doom was simply across the nook. Something was going to occur. Robbie Hummel’s knee would pop. A no-name Cal State Fullerton participant would drag Isaac Haas to the ground and break his elbow. The Virginia play would occur. St. Peter’s would occur. FDU would occur. Glenn Robinson would damage his again. We would choke in opposition to Kansas State. We would lose a rock combat in Albuquerque with Wisconsin. We would get vaporized within the second half by Kansas in Kansas City.

As the buzzer sounded Loyer threw the ball excessive within the air, and he mainly threw away 40+ years of distress when he did so. Yes, expectations are extremely excessive this 12 months (and rightfully so), however this 12 months is totally different.

This 12 months, we all know it might probably occur.

It has now solely been 562 days since Purdue has performed in a Final Four. I used to be a grown grownup and noticed it with my very own eyes. I noticed how this program stayed laser targeted that whole season because it was decided to erase the ache of that FDU loss. Making it to the ultimate weekend of the 12 months is now not a pipe dream. Even higher, three starters on this roster have already executed it. They know how you can deal with these monumental expectations.

Two years in the past the whole season felt like a slog as a result of we knew solely March mattered. Now, a minimum of as followers, we’re free from that baggage. It was all wiped away on March 31, 2024.

The subsequent 5 months are going to be superior. Barring one thing catastrophic, the expectation is a Big Ten title, one other No. 1 seed, and a visit to Indy. Anything much less will probably be a disappointment. The non-conference schedule is totally insane with Alabama, Auburn, Marquette, Iowa State, Memphis, and perhaps Texas Tech on it. The Big Ten will convey its common challenges. Still, one thing like 28-3 will not be solely potential, however doubtless. There will probably be a pair losses as a result of going undefeated in faculty basketball is nearly not possible, however that is nonetheless most likely one of the best staff within the nation. It actually might not even be shut.

And someday round 11pm on April 6, 2026, black and gold confetti could also be raining down as Purdue wins its first ever NCAA Tournament.

For as soon as, that feels much less like a dream, and extra like an expectation. That 2024 Final Four was, inded medicinal.

Kids, let’s have some enjoyable watching these guys. I plan on having fun with each second of it in contrast to two years in the past as a result of that Final Four burden is gone.