BY TODD DYBAS / SEATTLESPORTSONLINE.COM

PORTLAND -- Standing off the wing clapping and calling for the ball, Darnell Gant was ignored.

His teammates, in particular Isaiah Thomas, wouldn't swing it to him. Gant had gone 2-for-4 Thursday against Mississippi State, hitting a couple midrange jump shots. Those were just the shots he sat wide open for Saturday, but only received the ball twice to shoot them. He hit one.

On one Thomas drive, the freshman was stuck out top after trying to force the ball into the middle, then not passing off to Gant. Lorenzo Romar called a timeout to save a turnover. Romar shouted at Gant, asking him if he was tired, insinuating he wanted more movement from him.

He also shouted at Thomas, who walked back on the court after the timeout saying, "My bad" to Gant.

From Purdue's standpoint, it was all good.

Purdue forward Robbie Hummel, who proved later in the game he had no chance of stopping Quincy Pondexter, ignored Gant. Gant would cross through the lane, Hummel would glance and hardly move. Gant would be open in the corner, Hummel followed the ball. If any Husky put the ball on the floor or squared to the hoop, Hummel went to them.

As the Huskies tried to work their preferred style of driving the ball to the hoop or posting Jon Brockman or Pondexter, Hummel collapsed and joined his already sagging teammates. Any Husky that went near the lane was typically met with a double team prior to the rim. Washington was delivering exactly what the Boilermakers wanted.

"We watched the game against Mississippi State and Gant made two jumpers on the film," Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "He doesn't take a lot of jump shots, but when he does, he's got a nice stroke and he can make it. We just had to pick something that we had to give up. We thought if he makes a couple, then he makes a couple."

The chance never came. Not that Gant is an offensive dynamo, but, as Painter and anyone watching the Huskies this season knows, Gant is capable. Even if Gant doesn't shoot, there at least is some thought he might. If he did shoot and hit, the game changes. It may seem slight, but in a game that ended 76-74, there is no such thing.

"We thought we just couldn't let Brockman duck in and let Pondexter duck in from the top," Painter said. "They were going to get some things on the wing. We tried to trap at times, other times we played one-on-one and tried to scrape ball side. So we tried to do some different things against each one of the guys, but we just felt with (Gant) and (Justin) Holiday we had to back up a little bit and try to help in that post."

Since Gant wasn't getting the chance, Romar changed the equation himself. Enter Elston Turner.

Turner served notice Thursday against Mississippi State. His seven points in the opening round only buoyed a scout that tells opponents Turner is a shooter off the bench.

Turner's presence meant Hummel had to move. He stayed with Turner around baseline picks and through high screens. Turner's line at the end of the game? The same as Gant, 1-for-2. Despite the math, Turner's 1-for-2 was a world apart from Gant's.

"I thought it was a good move," Painter said. "You're going to get more perimeter shooting, we're not going to be able to shrink our defense as much, they're going to spread us out and be able to get the ball in there more.

"When you play more guys there on the perimeter that can shoot, now you're going to be able to use your dribble and get in. I thought it was a great move by coach Romar."

The freshman shooter became the first tipped domino. Thanks to Hummel, E'Twaun Moore or another Boilermaker chasing Turner, there was no instant double team on Quincy Pondexter as he started to charge to the hoop. It also forced Hummel to try and stop Pondexter one-on-one at times, which he could not do.

Thomas' preferred hesitation moves started to take effect, allowing him into the lane now that he was opposed by single a defender for multiple dribbles. Brockman became free as the Boilermakers were now on the move to help on the penetrator. Not to mention the game was called tight, making drives all the more effective.

"I thought coach Romar made a great adjustment of just having them come attack us, especially for the way the game was called," Painter said. "They got a lot of layups, they got a lot of free throws that way. I thought they did just a great job of breaking us down."

The problem was this didn't happen in the first half. The ball stuck. Turner didn't play as much. The lane was clogged, the Huskies were dogged, and they allowed Purdue an insurmountable lead.

Now the season is over, Washington spinning the cube but not lining up the rows before the final horn. Purdue is off to the Sweet 16, Washington left to lament how not sharing the ball helped shutter its season.

"They scored 46 points in the second half and (Romar) made the right adjustment," Painter said. "We simply couldn't stop them and we were fortunate to be able to get this win."

Todd Dybas is the editor of Seattlesportsonline.com. He can be reached via e-mail at tdybas@seattlesportsonline.com