Purdue's Matt Painter Heaps Praise On Big Ten Champ U-M
Michigan head coach John Beilein has long called Matt Painter a friend, respectful of the job he’s done at Purdue — probably because, like Beilein, he’s always first class, win or lose.
Painter and Purdue got the better of the Wolverines in a pair of nail-biters this year, after which Painter noted a bounce or two was the only difference. It was the same way in last year’s Big Ten Tournament when his own team missed a few free throws down the stretch that could have iced the game.
Painter gave Michigan full credit after the Wolverines controlled his team for most of the game in a convincing, 75-66 win in the Big Ten title game.
“They run so many different things and have so many different calls within his system that it's a tough prep, especially after they win the first game,” Painter said. “So when they get into that second game … you always learn something when you play him. I always say that about when Bill Carmody was at Northwestern, when Dana Altman was at Creighton, kind of those systems where they have a lot of quick hitters and a lot of different things you can go to. You always learn something when you play them, and you fix something.
"As a coach, you think you've got them figured out … you don't have them figured out. “He's just very unique in that. You can't allow them to do what they want to do. And if you do, now it's just hitting or missing, especially when they put skill [on the floor]. His ideal thing is having a five that can shoot. That's why [Jon] Teske's pick and pops, him going into the short roll into the elbow, [Moe] Wagner being able to make the threes and drive the ball … he makes them special.”
The guards, Zavier Simpson and Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman, are good, he added, but he noted, “Not everybody has a guy like Wagner that can stick threes, drive the ball and play with passion.”
And not everyone has a coach like Beilein who might just be the best X & O’s guy in basketball. Good coaches have a Plan B when Plan A isn’t working, or something to spring an opponent to exploit their weaknesses.
Against Purdue, they just spread the floor and let players make plays.
“They're a unique team,” he said. “Playing Michigan, John has a great system, even though they have gone away from their system a lot and just kind of spread things out.
“I thought they played a very good game. They’re a very tough matchup for anybody in the country, well coached. They have really kind of scrapped their offense and just tried to spread people out and break people down within our league, especially us because of our size, and I thought they did a really good job of moving the basketball, kind of finding the matchups they wanted, breaking us down off the dribble.”
As many have noted, the Wolverines have also been much better defensively. Painter is among those impressed with the transformation.
The 28-7 Wolverines are now the No. 6 team in adjusted defensive efficiency, a measure of defense that takes into account strength of opponent and other factors.
“I just think it's attention to detail. I think Charles Matthews, Xavier Simpson, Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman are all three good defensive players,” Painter said. “Duncan Robinson has a lot of experience. Duncan Robinson was a poor defensive player when he got there, but he's really, really worked hard and he's a much better defender out there.
"He used to be out there and be a liability, but now he's not. That's being a well-rounded player, because he can shoot the basketball, he's a good offensive player and now he's a good defensive player, and you've got to give somebody like that credit to them.”
Something that’s hard for some coaches to do ... but not Painter. He continued to praise U-M’s improvement on the defensive end.
“Jordan Poole gives them length and some athleticism when he comes in there,” he said of the frosh. “Freshman [Isaiah] Livers, who got hurt tonight, has done a good job as a young guy guarding.
“I think it's personnel and attention to detail. Any time you put talent on the court and you give it time and you work on something, whether it's offense or defense, and those guys stick together, you're going to make some improvements.”
They’re showing it on both ends at just the right time, primed for a potential deep run in the NCAA Tournament, as well.
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