The Purdue Boilermakers enjoyed a very comfortable 76-59 Big Ten Tournament semifinal win over the Michigan Wolverines today, largely on the strength of domination inside. The big boys were very impressive, and they’ll need to repeat that effort tomorrow in order to win their enchanting tourney championship match-up with Michigan State.
Here’s the best of what the Purdue Boilermakers had to say in the locker room postgame.
We start with Isaac Haas because he was the most engaging and interesting.
On motivation for tomorrow…
“We’re not done. One More. We really need that, that Big Ten Championship. We want it so bad. I can’t even describe to you how much all of these guys have been talking about how awesome that would be.”
On where this program has come from 2009…
“We’re returning Purdue to its rightful place in basketball. Two years ago, we were in a bad place; finished last in the Big Ten. I tell you that summer was hard, never had a summer workout like that. It was awful, but we came out there and returned Purdue to what it was, and this year we’re tearing up the courts.”
“It’s where we belong and where we need to be from here on out.”
On how to beat Michigan State…
“We’re really focused on how to get them out of transition, if we get them out of their transition we have a chance to beat them. It’s just the difference in games.”
AJ Hammons right now pic.twitter.com/b7U33Lx1sg
— Vinay Swarup (@swarupvi) March 12, 2016
A.J. Hammons:
He was just a boss today.
About this sign, and any potential backstory here:
“I just saw that the other, 401K, it’s pretty funny. I don’t know (about the backstory behind it), I guess somebody just made a sign. Ha ha ha.”
Best sign of the college hoops season?? "AJ Hammons has a robust 401k plan" #Purdue #BoilerUp #Boilermakers pic.twitter.com/knHA5Fdyv1
— Paul M. Banks (@PaulMBanks) March 1, 2016
Caleb “Biggie” Swanigan:
On his role today…
“Coach Painter says it all the time, you got to find your worth beyond scoring.”
On how/when he got the nickname Biggie…
“They’ve just been calling me it since I was young. My aunt started it and the name stuck since then.”
Favorite Notorious B.I.G. album/song…(sorry I had to)
“Ready to Die and Juicy”
Rapheal Davis:
On the backcourt not getting publicity, accolades, plaudits…
“We understand that a lot of people don’t really think we have good guards. I really think our guards have come around, our guards have really won some games. The big men can’t score if we can’t get them the ball.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times, currently contributes regularly to the Chicago Tribune’s RedEye publication and Bold Global.
He also consistently appears on numerous talk shows all across the country. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram