This game was Purdue’s first real test of the season. Sure, at the end of the year maybe Xavier is going to have a heck of a season, I don’t know, but in a neutral environment playing against the 11th ranked team in the nation has got to be number one. Purdue started out exactly how you’d want them to, a 6-0 run. Everything was beautiful, the Hawaii rainbows were everywhere and I could already see the 3:30 tipoff tomorrow against #7 Tennessee coming. Then, a 14-0 Gonzaga run put Purdue squarely on their heels. It took the vast majority of the first half for Purdue to recover.
Braden Smith Leads Purdue to 73 - 63 Victory Over Gonzaga in Round One of Maui Invitational
