Jaden Ivey and the Purdue Boilermakers are out of March Madness as they lost 67-64 to this year's Cinderella team, Saint Peter's, on Friday night.
Ivey missed a potential game-tying shot , a deep 3-point attempt, as the game ended. ESPN insider Bobby Marks and others were critical of the NBA draft prospect's performance.
Many, including Brooklyn Nets star Kevin Durant, have been high on Purdue's star guard, and there's a strong belief in his ability to succeed at the next level.
While Ivey has the ability to be exceptional, his performance against the Peacocks was not typical for the sophomore. Ivey, who averages 17.6 points per game, finished with nine points, two assists and eight rebounds in the biggest game of his college career.
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ESPN's Bobby Marks believes part of the problem was Ivey's passiveness.
For a player with high draft potential, a passive performance is something draft scouts and insiders notice. Three of Ivey's nine points came in the final minute, with the only 3-pointer he hit on six attempts.
Ivey flashed his potential in the last minute of the game, but his 4-for-12 shooting and six turnovers will remain a talking point. Still, it wouldn't have mattered if he had hit the 3-pointer at the end of the game.
Jaden Ivey's final shot for the Purdue Boilermakers
While a poor NCAA Tournament performance is never good for an NBA draft prospect, making a clutch shot to force overtime could make up for many ills. Ivey had the opportunity to give Purdue another chance, but the long 3-point shot did not fall.
Making the high-pressure shot would have been a special moment for Ivey, but that was not to be. The Saint Peter's Peacocks (22-11) became the first No. 15 seed to advance to the Elite Eight. Meanwhile, the No. 3 seed Purdue Boilermakers (29-8) still haven't reached a Final Four since 1980.
If Ivey turns into a starting NBA point guard, he should have more opportunities in games and with shots like his last one for Purdue. For now, his focus will turn to the draft process as he tries to cement himself as one of the top guards in the field.
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