Boilers, Aggies looking for Sweetness

SPOKANE, Wash. (WISH) - The Boilermakers are ready for round two. They've been here before, something they think they can work in their favor against Texas A&M.

"It definitely will help. Just not getting caught up with the crowd and the big hype and the big games, we've been here before and even if it's a close game, we won't get rattled. Experience will help," said Boiler guard E'Twaun Moore.

The Boiler defense and toughness will be there, but there's one thing they know will make or break their game with the Aggies.

"Rebounding, rebounding, rebounding, rebounding. That's going to big the big key for us, rebounding," added senior Keaton Grant.

"We look back at the games we lost, we pretty much got killed on the glass in every one of them, and that's big part of it. It' a direct translation to us winning or losing," said center JaJuan Johnson.

The Purdue-A&M matchup also brings together former Valley coaching friends. Painter was at Southern Illinois when Turgeon led Wichita State, and their friendship grew when Turgeon reached out to Painter after Hummel's season-ending injury.

"It was real easy for me to reach out to Matt. One because I have so much respect for Robbie Hummel and what he's about and what they were doing and I know how devastating that injury was to them and their team, so I just wanted to reach out to him and let him know I was thinking about him and his players," said Aggie coach Mark Turgeon.

Matt Painter knows it's been tough. "When you've gone through it as a coach and lose a player like that it’s one of those things that's not in the manual. How your other guys handle it, how you handle it, you got to play a little bit differently but till want to stay with ome of the same things you're doing."

Friends will become foes when they tip at Spokane Arena around five. Purdue playing for back-to-back berths in the sweet sixteen.