Boilers Impress

If college basketball season hadn't officially arrived in my mind going into this week, it certainly has now. Purdue's 73-72 win over Tennessee in a terrific Paradise Jam Final made me realize just how much I missed college hoops.

A couple of thoughts:

- E'Twaun Moore earned MVP honors for the Tournament which was capped by a 22-point performance against the Vols. I really thought Moore regressed last year after a pretty solid freshman season. The most talented player from the heralded 2007 recruiting class is a big key to Purdue's success this season. Hopefully he doesn't pull the disappearing acts he had at times last year.

- When watching Kelsey Barlow at Cathedral, I didn't think he was a BCS-level basketball player. There's no doubt that the kid was athletically gifted, but I didn't give him the benefit of the doubt for his chances of playing at the Big Ten level. It's only been four games, but it's pretty obvious I was really, really wrong.

- Is there a play in Chris Kramer's career that better defines him than the slide-across-the-floor-on-your-chest-for-ten-feet-while-slapping-at-the-ball play that forced a UT turnover in the 2nd half?

- Patrick Bade - by the way future game announcers, it's pronounced Bay-Dee - only scored two points before fouling out, but his importance didn't show up in the stat-line. The former Franklin Central star gave the Boilers meaningful minutes with JaJuan Johnson dealing with foul trouble. As long as he can give them minutes, he'll be valuable, regardless of what the box score says.

- Anyone else feel like Bruce Pearl will someday have a Sampson-like exit? There's something about that guy that seems slimy.

- D.J. Byrd picked up three fouls in four minutes. I thought he was the most polished of Purdue's freshman class but it appears he may be the one that needs the most seasoning.

- It's never too early to start looking at the NCAA Tournament resume and this win over Tennessee was one of Purdue's two opportunities at a marquee non-league win. Their other chance will come against West Virginia in January.