Boilermakers Stunned by Poor Shooting in Big Ten Tournament

Purdue got good shots, but they just didn't fall. That was the frustration expressed by Purdue head coach Matt Painter after the game, and it was palpable from Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn as well.

"It just didn't go down tonight," Painter said. "It just was not our night."

Purdue led the Big Ten in both two-point and three-point percentage in conference season, but they shot only 33.8% from the field against Michigan on Friday night, resulting in an 86-68 loss that eliminated them in the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Tournament.

"Obviously, we're all upset with ourselves because we're better shooters than what we showed tonight," Smith said. "When you're competing your butt off and shots aren't falling, it sucks. And especially when they're good shots."

Kaufman-Renn was visibly upset at the podium after the game, expressing his frustration that some of their shots didn't fall.

"I just felt like taking great looks, you get great looks and then they just don't fall, it's so frustrating," Kaufman-Renn said. "The amount of work that I put in for them not to fall. This was a big game for me. It's just one of those things where you wish you could play the game over again."

Purdue will now shift their focus to the NCAA Tournament, with Smith emphasizing the importance of having fun and flushing everything out.

"Just having fun and understanding the meaning of this game," Smith said. "And flushing everything and it's in the past. It's in the past for a reason. I think just for us, just regroup, focus back up, get in the gym, get shots up, and trust ourselves. I think we'll be just fine."

Purdue will now wait to see what their seed is and where their first round game will be played when the NCAA Tournament bracket is released on Sunday at 6 p.m.