Boilermakers must close out away games

By John Williams

As Purdue ventures into the meat-and-gravy of their conference schedule, it's interesting to see how different they play on the road.

Although unbeaten at Mackey Arena this season, the Boilermakers can't find answers for big-time road match-ups. Purdue's home games are played with a swagger. They're fast, they spread the floor and they play with a purpose

In their road games, they play timid and it shows.

At Wisconsin on Feb. 1, Purdue even had a one-point lead with about a minute-and-a-half to go. At Minnesota earlier in the Big Ten schedule, it was much of the same. Ohio State isn't a fair comparison, so I won't even go there. So what's the problem?

Purdue misses Robbie Hummel.

I mean, how much better could this team be if Hummel was on the court? I'd venture to say a legitimate elite-8 team. The way this team is structured now, I see them making an early tournament exit. It's a stretch, but if they were to get a five seed (which they won't), I can see the Boilers struggling versus a play-in-game opponent. Especially one in which they're unfamiliar.

JuJuan Johnson is an animal and just like Jared Sullinger, he's multi-faceted. His game has so many different dimensions and keeps teams guessing. There's no question that he is a player that can be plugged into a lineup and change the culture of a team. But, and this is key, he isn't bringing the ball up the court and commanding the offense like Hummel.

When a team is trailing in the final seconds, everyone will look to its floor general - the point guard - to take the reins and setup the offense. Talor Battle at Penn State is a perfect example (although I believe he's looked to a little too much). Purdue, with all the talent they have, is lacking a floor general.

Purdue's talented senior guard E'Twaun Moore will continue to play 30-plus minutes a game and put up tremendous numbers. They need him to do just that. Last season, Moore averaged 16.4 ppg (more than Hummel, who averaged 15.7 ppg) and he also averaged 31.5 minutes per game. In fact, Moore has led the Boilers in points per game for the last three seasons prior to this year. To Hummel's credit, he only played 27 games in the 2009-10 season and has been hampered by ongoing knee problems.

If Purdue is to make a strong tournament run, they will need even more production from Moore as well as Johnson.

As for the road schedule, it's Illinois, Indiana, Michigan State and Iowa. Two games look favorable, while the two others look like toss-ups.

What will be interesting to see is if Purdue has the wherewithal to close out a game on the road.

Originally published on Thursday, Feb. 10.