Purdue Still Trying to Recapture Defensive Intensity Entering March Madness

For the last month, Purdue's defense has really struggled. The Boilermakers are hoping to recapture some of that intensity, especially with a matchup against a high-scoring High Point team in the NCAA Tournament ahead.

Dustin Schutte | Mar 17, 2025

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter fields questions from the media / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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When Purdue was playing its best basketball of the season back in January, it's defensive intensity was a catalyst to the team's success. Over the last month, the Boilermakers have struggled on that end of the court and, as a result, have dropped six of their last nine games. So, it goes without saying that Matt Painter and his team are trying to recapture that spark ahead of Thursday's NCAA Tournament matchup against High Point.

Painter said it best following Purdue's 86-68 loss to Michigan in Friday's quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament — his team isn't a defensive juggernaut by any stretch of the imagination. But that doesn't mean the Boilers can't improve in that area.

And against a highly-efficient, high-scoring High Point team, getting stops on the defensive end is going to be critical to Purdue's success.

"I think you've got to be good on the basketball, no matter what's somebody's doing," Painter said Sunday. "Whether they're driving you or they're playing in ball-screen defense or they're posting up or they're doing dribble-downs, which more people do now. You've got to be good on the basketball and do your job."

Purdue is going to face a tough challenge defensively against High Point on Thursday. The Panthers enter the tournament averaging 82.2 points per game (18th nationally) and shooting at a 49.4% clip (seventh nationally). They can also knock down the three-point shot more than 36% of the time and are averaging more than 11 fastbreak points per contest.

Against a team that shoots nearly 50% from the floor and scores in a number of different ways, Painter says staying in front of the basketball is going to incredibly important, not just against High Point, but anyone else the Boilermakers may face in March Madness.

"When we do a better job on the ball and we give more resistance there, make people score over us, we have more success," he said. "When people are getting angles and people are driving — and that's not just us, that's a lot of people."

During its most successful stretch of the season, Purdue was winning games with its defensive pressure. The Boilermakers won 11-of-12 games from Dec. 29 through Feb. 7, forcing more than 15 turnovers per game.

They had found ways to win games without scoring a lot of points. Purdue defeated Rutgers 68-50, took down Washington 69-58 and beat Oregon 65-58 in that stretch. Even when the shots weren't falling, the Boilers relied on their energy on the defensive end to pick up some big victories.

It's a mindset they have to get back to this week.

"I feel like we have to do a good job of playing hard with or without making shots," freshman Gicarri Harris said. "I feel like when we miss shots, that kind of affects us. When we're making shots, it's easier for us to get our defense set. But, if we're making or missing shots, I feel like we still need to play a high-level, high-intensity defense at all times."

In this last nine-game stretch — the Boilers losing six times — the defensive pressure has been sparse. Not only have the forced turnovers disappeared, but teams have been shooting at a high clip.

Opponents have shot 48% or better five times in that stretch. The Boilermakers are forcing an average of just 8.4 turnovers per game. It's not been a great recipe for success in the last month of the season.

While Purdue would love to get back to forcing turnovers at a high volume, it's not necessarily the only fix for this team defensively. It's about keeping the basketball out of the painted area and forcing teams into tough shots.

"We led the Big Ten steals. I think at times that helped us, at times that hurt us. You have to understand about when to be aggressive," Painter said. "But, when we do a better job disrupting the basketball ... you can't just let people sit there and pass the ball where they want in ball-screen defense. You can't let somebody post up and just pass wherever he wants. That's what I talk about when I talk about disrupting the basketball."

Painter can talk about the nitty-gritty details it takes to be successful on the defensive end. Certainly, there are a lot of areas in which Purdue can improve on that end of the court. But perhaps the top priority for his team as it prepares for High Point this week?

Bringing a higher level of energy, regardless of what the offense is doing.

"Everybody just has to do their role, whether it's starters or coming off the bench," Harris said. "We have to have a lot more energy. I feel like our energy has been down. So, everybody has to do their job, stick to our rules and just play with a high motor and I think we'll be fine defensively."

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