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Matt Painter loves using these tough exhibition road games as learning opportunities. Purdue certainly learned some things on Tuesday night in Hartford, falling 76-53 to No. 4 UConn in its final preseason game of the year.
It was a rough shooting night for the Boilers, connecting on just 38.7% of their shots from the field and making just 2-of-25 attempts from behind the three-point line. C.J. Cox was the only Purdue player in double figures, scoring 18 points in the loss.
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Here are a few observations from Tuesday night’s game in Hartford.
Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
What happens when threes aren’t falling?
Because of the way this year’s roster is built, Purdue is going to be a team that shoots plenty of threes. On Tuesday night, we saw one potential problem, though: What happens when those aren’t falling?
Purdue connected on just 2-of-25 attempts from long range, hitting one in each half. How can the Boilers get points when the three-point shot takes an unexpected absence? Usually, teams can attack the basket or go into the post to get closer looks down low.
The Boilermakers weren’t really able to do that on Tuesday night. A lot of that should be attributed to UConn’s defense, making it tough for guards to penetrate and get into the paint. Daniel Jacobsen playing just 22 minutes could have been a factor, too. He provided a better post presence when he was in the game and made a few nice moves with the ball in his hands.
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Moving forward, Purdue is going to have to find ways to generate points when the three-ball isn’t falling. It has the guards to score at the rim, but that wasn’t a strength on Tuesday.
Daniel Jacobsen gave Purdue good minutes
He didn’t have the best statistical night, but Jacobsen played well on both ends of the floor. He was best on the defensive end, blocking four shots and altering a few others. The 7-foot-4 center also initiated contact on box-outs, something he struggled with last…
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Publish date : 2026-10-28 01:40:00
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