The first hurdle of Purdue's potential redemption arc is cleared - the Boilermakers looked unbothered as they cleared all obstacles put forth by Grambling State and Utah State with ease. Zach Edey looked every bit the part of the two-time National Player of the Year, Fletcher Loyer continued his strong late-season play, Braden Smith ran the show but the Boilermakers didn't miss a beat while he was on the bench, Trey Kaufman-Renn had his well-deserved moment in the spotlight, and Camden Heide and Myles Colvin emerged as athletic wonders off the bench.

All this, while it didn't even look like Purdue was hitting every cylinder it could.

The opening weekend of March Madness 2024 brought no stress to Boilermaker nation, but all that means is a date with better teams in a few days. A much-improved Gonzaga awaits, with the winner of Creighton/Tennessee waiting in the wings with a trip to the Final Four on the line for all four teams known for tripping in the NCAA Tournament. Redemption awaits one of the region's semi-finalists - why can't it be us?

(Come be terrified with your BS pals on this pod.)

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