Purdue Boilermakers reserve guard Spike Albrecht may be playing his final collegiate basketball game tonight. Or his story could continue to the sweet sixteen and beyond; quite possibly to Phoenix for the Final Four and beyond. No matter where and when it finishes, it’s been a joy to watch Albecht and he’s been a part of what makes B1G hoops great.
He’s a great soundbite and a very personable sort.
Spike Albrecht first burst on to the national scene when he was with the Michigan Wolverines in 2013.
UM went all the way to the national title game that season, where they lose to the Louisville Cardinals by six, but Albrecht did his part and more, going four of five from three point range and finishing with a career-high 17. Entering that game, he had never scored more than seven in a single contest.
St. Joseph, Michigan native and Wolverines fan Kate Upton was in attendance, and in a classic, and very admirable example of “got to strike while the iron is hot” Spike reached out to Upton via Twitter, thanking her for attending the game and inviting her to show up at another one moving forward.
“I don’t know who I let talk me into that one,” said Albrecht of his tweet to the four time Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue cover girl during our exclusive at B1G Media Day the following season. Here’s a link to the audio and transcript of that interview, which covers the Kate Upton Tweet blowing up way more than anybody expected in enough detail as needs be.
While that may be the thing many people first associate with Spike Albrecht, he really is so much more than that; as both a player and a person. He provides veteran leadership and poise to a team fighting to reach the sweet sixteen and beyond tonight.
Spike Albrecht has been on the biggest stage before and the graduate school transfer has wisdom and experience to pass on to the younger Boilermakers. We caught up to him in Milwaukee on the eve of the Boilers round of 32 clash with Iowa State.
We covered a whole host of topics, including his taste in music, which includes an affinity for Justin Bieber, ’90s rap, how transferring to Purdue made him get into Notorious B.I.G., reflections on his storied college career, what lessons he passes on to the younger guys and so much more.
We didn’t talk the 2013 national title game or any Tweets related to it. The audio file is below.
GAMEDAY INFORMATION
[4] Purdue (26-7) vs. [5] Iowa State (24-10) / Midwest Region
Saturday, March 18, 2017 / 9:40 p.m. ET / TBS
TV Talent: Carter Blackburn, Mike Gminski, Debbie Antonelli, Lisa Byington
Milwaukee, Wis. / BMO Harris Bradley Center (19,000)
SPREAD: Purdue -1
https://soundcloud.com/p-m-banks/spike-albrecht-exclusive-purdue-ncaa-tournament
After the interview we brought up Spike Albrecht in the podium press conference session to Purdue Coach Matt Painter, and his answer inspired Coach to make a little joke about about whether or not the journalists in attendance are actually paying attention or not.
Q. Spike and all his experience, everything he’s been through, what are some of the best lessons and experiences that he’s passed on to the younger guys and kind of ease in on what you have to instill in them?
COACH PAINTER: “For me it’s difficult because I’m not — I think the best lessons are when coaches aren’t around. He has a lot of experience and he knows what’s going on.
“I think for him, like dealing with Carsen Edwards is probably the one thing that jumps out for me because he was around Trey Burke and he saw how talented Trey Burke was and how good he was.
But he also knew Trey Burke is a different player going from his freshman year to his sophomore year and making those improvements and those hard lessons that you make. And obviously he led them to the — Trey led them to the championship game.”
“I know — I think he’s pretty good for Carsen and pretty good for all our guys because he’s been through it and there’s a little bit — anytime — if anybody ever played in this room, you always think something is wrong with your coach or something is wrong with your program or something is wrong with that.
He gives that point of reference to where like, hey, you guys got it pretty good, especially with their coach. Their coach is a great guy (laughter). Seen a few guys actually listen in the back.
You’re just sitting there. There you go. I appreciate that.”
https://twitter.com/PaulMBanks/status/842838169116655620
“So, I think those are always — I always felt that when I played for one of the best coaches ever and one of the best guys ever, I would go back to my apartment and think he was crazy.
I’m playing for one of the best coaches in America who treats you fair. He’s on you. Gene Keady was on you. You still have that thought.”
https://twitter.com/PaulMBanks/status/842834808006938625
“As a coach, it’s good to have some people around to say, hey, man, you got it pretty good here. This is a pretty good situation. Nothing is perfect.
I don’t care where you go to school or what program you’re in.”
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank.net and TheBank.News, partnered with FOX Sports Engage Network. and News Now. Banks, a former writer for the Washington Times and NBC Chicago.com, contributes to Chicago Tribune.com, Bold, WGN CLTV and KOZN.
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