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After comeback win, Purdue readies for Western Illinois
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. -- While the reference points are very different, No. 15 Purdue and Western Illinois head into Monday night's game in Mackey Arena feeling good about themselves.
The Boilermakers (9-2) rallied from a 17-point, first-half deficit on Saturday in Indianapolis' Bankers Life Fieldhouse to defeat No. 21 Notre Dame 86-81, getting 26 points and 10 rebounds from Caleb Swanigan and 20 points and 10 rebounds off the bench from Vince Edwards.
It was Purdue's first victory against Notre Dame since the 1965-66 season, and it was the Boilermakers' first victory against a Top 25 nonconference opponent since defeating then No. 24 St. Mary's (Calif.) in the 2012 NCAA tournament in Omaha, Neb.
Western Illinois (3-7) got 15 points and nine rebounds from Brandon Gilbeck and 14 points and 14 rebounds from Mike Miklusak on Saturday in a 75-59 victory at Wisconsin-Milwaukee, snapping a four-game losing streak.
Purdue, which has won four in a row since a loss at 2013 NCAA champion Louisville, played excellent defense in the second half in rallying to beat Notre Dame, outscoring the Fighting Irish 48-29 in the final 20 minutes.
It was the Boilermakers' largest comeback victory since erasing an 18-point deficit against St. John's at Madison Square Garden on Nov. 27, 1998 -- 18 years ago.
"Team defense is a lot easier for us when we just talk to each other," Edwards said. "I don't feel like I am where I want to be defensively. I am working toward being back to an all-around type of guy. I didn't have the start to the season that I wanted, but it's still a long season."
Edwards (11.6 points and 5.2 rebounds) was the difference-maker against Notre Dame and hopes to fill that role again against Western Illinois.
"Against Notre Dame, I was just trying to light a spark," Edwards said. "We always knew we were a capable team. The performance against Notre Dame speaks for itself."
And according to coach Matt Painter, Edwards' recent effort since losing his starting job also speaks for itself.
"We need to have Vince Edwards on the floor," Painter said. "Vince probably was the key to the Notre Dame game. Swanigan had huge numbers, but to have a guy come in and have that kind of energy and get offensive rebounds like Vince did is great.
"Vince was driving the basketball and passing the basketball. He is just a good all-around player. He has been very good the last four games, and each game has been different. One game, he had eight assists, and the next game he had 18 points on only a handful of shots."
For Western Illinois coach Billy Wright, continued big numbers from Gilbeck and Miklusak would be nice.
"Saturday's win reassures what we have been working on since summer and fall workouts," Wright said. "It all came together against Milwaukee.
"Now, we move on to (Purdue), and the key thing we talked about in the summer was consistency and sustainability. We just need to be consistent and sustain."
Purdue center Isaac Haas (14 points and five rebounds a game) said the Boilermakers are a confident team heading into their final two nonconference games -- Norfolk State comes to Purdue on Wednesday night -- before opening Big Ten play on Dec. 28 against Iowa.
"Beating Notre Dame shows that we can go into a neutral site or an away site and win," Haas said. "It improves your resume. Louisville and Villanova are good teams, and so is Notre Dame. Against Louisville, I didn't feel like we had the focus that we needed to win."
Swanigan, whose 16.8 points and 11.1 rebounds leads Purdue, warns his teammates to stay focused this week against two opponents the Boilermakers should beat.
"We can't drop one of these next two," Swanigan said. "We need to keep the ball rolling on into the Iowa game."
Purdue continues to play without fifth-year graduate transfer reserve point guard Spike Albrecht, who is receiving treatment for lower back pain. Painter said Albrecht is out indefinitely.
