'That's the best medicine': Purdue basketball owns what happened in last NCAA Tournament

INDIANAPOLIS − For the past 12 months, they've been mocked and laughed at.

Since Sunday's NCAA Tournament selection show, the highlights of Purdue basketball's lowest moment have aired on repeat.

Rather than run from last year's loss to Fairleigh Dickinson, the Boilermakers have owned it.

No one ever dodged a question about it.

It happened. It was embarrassing. And with another 16-seed in Grambling State set to face Purdue Friday night, this week in particular it is unavoidable.

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"We take it in and talk about it rather than ignoring it and let it fuel us," redshirt senior Mason Gillis said.

Grambling State isn't Fairleigh Dickinson, as head coach Donte' Jackson pointed out during Thursday's press conference in Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

It should also be pointed out that Purdue isn't last year's Purdue. By name, yes. By production, no.

But if the Boilermakers needed an edge, one they apparently didn't have last year, they've found it this week as networks and social media accounts drum up the most recent NCAA Tournament.

"It just gives you a bigger chip on your shoulder," sophomore guard Fletcher Loyer said. "There's more you want to prove, more you want to do. The difference between last year and this year is just how hungry we are. That bad taste in our mouth has stuck with us all year. We've had to deal with it."

The questions about this moment didn't start this week, though.

They started last summer, long before Purdue found itself in a position to again face a No. 16 seed. Purdue was about to go to Europe, a bonding trip as much as it was a basketball trip.

The Boilermakers came back, then opened the season with seven straight wins, including victories over five NCAA tournament teams.

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But ...

FDU.

March.

"I don't think we're really worried what happened last year," point guard Braden Smith said. "I think we're focused on now. That's in the past. I've said it multiple times. They beat us that day and they played better than us."

The message one year ago in Columbus, Ohio, was the same as it is now in Gainbridge Fieldhouse as the Boilermakers were peppered with questions about what happened a year ago.

Sit in it and own it.

"A lot of times that's the best medicine is to be able to sit in that adversity," Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "You can't fix something if you don't own it. From a staff standpoint, we own it. Our players own it. That's the best way to go about it and do something about it.

"We've fought like hell to get into this position and now we've got to play better. We've got to coach better. We've got to execute better."

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.