March 26, 2026, 4:57 a.m. ET
- Purdue heart Oscar Cluff’s latest efficiency has improved because of elevated stamina and a change in substitution patterns.
- Cluff’s improved play consists of extra factors, rebounds, and a major enhance in blocked pictures.
- The Boilermakers will face Texas and their 7-foot heart, Matas Vokietaitis, in the Sweet 16.
SAN JOSE, CA — Purdue basketball’s Oscar Cluff insists browsing just isn’t as arduous because it seems to be, however admits he didn’t have a lot endurance on the board rising up in Australia.
The Boilermakers’ heart wanted stamina to grind via rugby matches, too, however with out the identical fixed back-and-forth sprinting wanted to play high-level basketball.
Cluff’s previous two weeks have been the perfect prolonged stretch of his Purdue profession. He may need been the Big Ten Tournament MVP if not for Braden Smith’s record-setting efficiency. He flirted with double-doubles in each NCAA Tournament video games in St. Louis final weekend.
The Boilermakers are getting extra of Cluff in each minutes and manufacturing, one thing he insists has a easy clarification.
“Just trying to get after it,” Cluff mentioned. “It’s do-or-die now, so you have to go for everything.”
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Cluff arrived in San Jose to discover a mirror picture awaiting him – in enjoying profile, if not look. Much of what Sweet 16 opponent Texas does hinges on the leverage created by 7-foot heart Matas Vokietaitis.
It’s exactly the type of matchup Purdue coach Matt Painter had in thoughts when he went to South Dakota between rounds of final yr’s NCAA Tournament to recruit Cluff out of the switch portal.
Both large males come into the West Region semifinal on the momentum of latest dominant performances. For Cluff, his confidence – and his enjoyable issue – are at season highs.
“He looks like a good player,” Cluff mentioned. “It’s gonna be fun. I can’t wait, really.”
Purdue lineup tweak unlocked extra of Oscar Cluff
Down the stretch of the common season, Cluff’s stamina turned extra of a difficulty. Excepting the extra time win at Nebraska, he performed not more than 22 minutes in any recreation from the Jan. 27 loss at Indiana to the March 1 loss at Ohio State.
“You see me pulling him quick sometimes,” Purdue coach Matt Painter mentioned on Feb. 13. “A lot of times that’s just the fatigue, what I’m seeing in his face.”
Told Cluff mentioned he was “gassed” in the primary half of the earlier recreation towards Nebraska, Painter quipped, “He’s gassed a lot.
“And I’ll do that sometimes. Like, ‘Man, he just made two shots.’ Yeah, but his tongue’s down by his shoelaces.”
The answer turned out to return from a counter-intuitive change to Painter’s substitution sample.
Previously, he despatched Daniel Jacobsen in for Cluff on the first media timeout, typically lower than 5 minutes into the sport. Beginning with the regular-season finale towards Wisconsin, he despatched Jack Benter in for Trey Kaufman-Renn and left Cluff on the ground. Then Kaufman-Renn subbed again in for Cluff a couple of minutes later to play heart in Purdue’s smaller lineup variation.
It didn’t produce the specified end result – Wisconsin gained 97-93 – however Cluff’s efficiency began trending up virtually instantly. Over the previous six video games, his manufacturing per half-hour has jumped in scoring (12.5 to fifteen.0), rebounds (9.1 to 9.8) and, most noticeably, blocks (1.0 to 1.7).
Cluff says it’s not a coincidence. The trick was to not keep away from the primary signal of fatigue – it was to push via it.
Cluff had performed half-hour in regulation solely as soon as previous to the Big Ten Tournament. He’s completed so in three of the final six video games since that change.
“Kind of just getting through that first wind,” Cluff mentioned. “I come out and get past that where I get a little tired and I push through that, I come down and I feel great for the rest of the game.”
Stamina, although, just isn’t the one issue in whether or not Cluff performs deep minutes Thursday.
Purdue’s Oscar Cluff balancing defensive aggression, foul avoidance
With somewhat over 11 minutes to play in the second spherical in St. Louis, Miami’s Malik Reneau grabbed an offensive rebound and tried to return again up. Cluff’s lengthy arms got here down upon him, and an official blew his whistle for the massive man’s third foul.
It triggered the under-12 TV timeout, and because the Boilermakers reconvened at their bench, guard Fletcher Loyer seized on Cluff’s miscue as a teachable second.
“Get your (bleeping) hands up,” Loyer shouted loud sufficient for everybody in a Purdue uniform, and loads of of us in the stands, to listen to.
In idea, Cluff’s improved stamina helps him keep away from fouls as nicely. He’s extra alert and fewer susceptible to being a step behind and reaching on protection.
That’s simpler mentioned than completed towards elite opponents, although. He performed via foul hassle in the Big Ten Tournament championship win over Michigan, grabbing key rebounds in the ultimate 5 minutes regardless of being one foul from disqualification.
However, Cluff has additionally lately engaged the fragile steadiness between aggressive protection and staying on the ground.
From Nov. 21 via March 4, Cluff went and not using a block in 15 of 24 video games. He didn’t submit greater than two in any of them.
He’s blocked at the very least one in eight straight video games now – simply the longest stretch of his Division I profession. He tied his season and profession highs with 4 blocks of Queens in the opening spherical. He blocked two extra towards Miami to go together with three steals – additionally a season excessive.
“Then there’s some games where maybe you’re not able to block shots, but you keep guys out of the paint and you’re not giving up straight-line layups,” Purdue assistant Brandon Brantley mentioned. “If you watched us last year, you know that was a common thing for us on that defensive end.”
That added rim safety could also be essential contemplating the brand new lineup technique. It’s the forte of 7-4 Jacobsen, however he performs spot minutes now, with extra time going to Kaufman-Renn and the small-ball lineup.
Purdue introduced Cluff in at the beginning to increase the rebounding excellence he displayed at South Dakota State. It additionally wanted actual rim safety. Each of the previous 15 nationwide champions posted a block proportion of at the very least 9.0, and the Boilers completed final season at 5.1.
Cluff’s latest swat-happy surge has lifted Purdue’s block proportion again to … 9.0 on the dot.
“It’s been honestly really helpful just having him down there,” Purdue level guard Braden Smith mentioned. “Obviously just trying to limit him from fouling is the biggest thing, because we need him in the game.”
Next up: An opponent constructed to pressure gamers like Cluff off the ground.
Texas has full confidence in its personal foreign-born heart
As Sean Miller put collectively his first Texas roster, he, too, wanted an inflow of measurement. He opted for a more recent mannequin.
Vokietaitis’ mom, Neringa Vokietaitiene, performed for the Lithuanian National Team on the age-group degree. He adopted that heritage earlier than coming to America to play at Florida Atlantic. He averaged 10.2 factors and 5.5 rebounds in 17.7 minutes in his first season.
It made him the American Athletic Conference Freshman of the Year – and a coveted commodity when he entered the switch portal.
He instantly injected the Longhorns’ roster with physicality and low-post scoring presence – and a European vibe.
“His swag is up there – I didn’t know he had that,” Texas guard Chendall Weaver mentioned. “He’ll come to the facility wearing some different stuff and I’ll be like, ‘Ooh la, I can get that off you Matas?’ He has this Gucci puffer that I want.”
Vokietaitis attracts consideration beneath the basket, too. Only two gamers nationally draw extra fouls per 40 minutes than his 8.4. No different energy convention participant attracts greater than 7.5.
He anchors an offense which fits to the free throw lane at a top-30 fee nationally. Cluff might want to win that matchup with out fouling, however neither group sees that as purely a 1-on-1 equation. Longhorns comparable to Dailyn Swain, Tramon Mark and Jordan Pope will assault downhill to both get to the basket or pressure Cluff and Purdue’s different bigs into disadvantageous conditions.
Purdue’s confidence in Cluff has by no means been better. After Vokietaitis averaged 18.3 factors and 11 rebounds over three NCAA Tournament video games, the Longhorns really feel related affection for their man.
“I don’t think any team in the country has a Matas,” Texas ahead Nic Codie mentioned. “I think we’re the only team with a Matas, and I’m grateful to be on that team. I feel like Matas is the best big in the country and he can show that any given night.
“I feel like he’ll show that tomorrow night, actually.”
Purdue’s Oscar Cluff attempting to complete robust with unsure future
Purdue nonetheless plans to petition for Cluff to obtain one other season of eligibility, although that course of could manner till after the season. There’s no assure that finally ends up bringing him again to West Lafayette.
So Brantley sees an easier clarification in Cluff’s latest resurgence.
“He’s a senior,” Brantley mentioned. “You’re coming down the stretch and every game you play now could be your last game if you don’t do your job.
“He’s done some great stuff and been positive for us. I think that just kinda reinforces his belief of what he can do. He’s done a great job of running for the early post in transition, and it’s juiced our team up – and it’s got him going.”
Cluff confronted off with some elite large males this season, together with Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year Aday Mara of Michigan, Washington’s Hannes Steinbach and Illinois’ Tomislav Ivisic.
Brantley, although, couldn’t draw a straightforward comparability between Vokietaitis and anybody Purdue confronted this season.
Texas, although, doubtless as not seen many large males enjoying with the effectivity and fervor Cluff has delivered to the courtroom happening two-plus weeks. He’s bringing amount and high quality, and it is likely to be the important thing to bringing Purdue’s season again to Indianapolis.
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