A few thoughts on the Purdue-Minnesota game

I was able to get tickets to the Purdue-Minnesota game yesterday (obstructed view!) so I thought I would share a few of my thoughts. Unfortunately, I didn't bring my camera (although I wouldn't have got much, what with the pole in my way. Anyways, some thoughts.

- Whenever I have been to Purdue-Minnesota games in the past, I end up rooting for the road team, simply because the home crowd ends up acting like such jerks. The "you're a pussy" chant after Marcus Green was injured was disgusting.

- The Gophers are a much bigger and more athletic, but they simply couldn't handle the jump shooting bigs of Purdue. There was no excuse, because of Minnesota's size and strength, for Purdue outrebounding Minnesota. More than anything, I think the work on the glass was a bigger factor than Purdue's shooting or even the Boiler defense, because Minnesota was very good on the interior defense for most of the game.

- Watching him on TV, I never really haven't seen Robbie Hummel as a fun player to watch. He doesn't move fluidly, he has an ugly shot, and he isn't a particularly gifted ball handler. I thought maybe watching him in person finally would tell me how he's so successful. Nope.

- Jajuan Johnson, on the other hand, is quite a treat. Have you ever seen a giraffe running? Nothing looks right, it all looks slow motion, but then you realize that because it's so lanky, it's actually moving quite quickly and, upon further review, its actually quite beautiful to watch. That is Jajuan Johnson. The Jaraffe, as I believe he should be called.

- Colton Iverson reminds me of Kris Humphries. No, that is not a good thing.

- The Minnesota back court is infinitely better than Purdue's but again, Purdue's ability to work their bigs to the perimeter makes up for this. For whatever reason, maybe the lack of dominant interior players, Minnesota didn't really even try to get it down low.

- Nemanja Calasan and Lewis Jackson have a strange relationship. Calasan went out of his way to congratulate Jackson, pat him on the back, encourage him when things go awry. Jackson seemed to resent this.

- Chris Kramer hit the floor at least once a minute. You would think someone as stocky as he wouldn't get knocked over so much.

- The officiating was brutal on both sides of the game. So at least it was fair.

- The Gophers didn't really have anyone try to step up. Al Nolan played all right, but he didn't get his team into the game.

- Purdue travels way too much.

- Holly Rowe is, as Bob Whitfield might say, thick in the britches. It was, however, funny to see her try to peer in the huddles during timeouts.

- I got to see Bob Knight! He was across the court, but still.

- Tubby Smith is going to fall off his stool one day, and it will be too bad. It's been good having him in the Big Ten.