STATE COLLEGE – You don’t look a gift Boiler in the mouth.
In the Big Ten, empathy is real. Everyone goes through the same road trips, hideous weather, illnesses, bad officiating breaks and injuries.
Empathy, sure. But sympathy? Nuh-uh.
The 14th-ranked Purdue Boilermakers came to the Jordan Center through an ice storm, missing two key cogs to injury — their best player as well as their team captain — for a late tip (9 p.m.) in front of a gathering of maybe 1,500 people. Not easy to get primed.
The Lions had no pity. They jumped on Purdue, scoring the game’s first 14 points, then after relinquishing the lead midway in the second half, wore out the depleted visitors with some of their best defense and board work all year in a 67-64 win.
“After what we went through last year? No,” said PSU point guard Talor Battle. “I feel bad for those guys who couldn’t play. But our aim is the same — to protect our home court.”