LOUISVILLE, KY — ISL photographer Trevor Mahlmann was on hand as the 3 seed Purdue Boilermakers faced off against the 1 seed Virginia Cavaliers for a chance at a Final Four berth in Minneapolis. The game was played in the KFC Yum! Center and arguably was the best game of the 2019 NCAA Tournament thus far. This was the first Elite 8 appearance for Head Coach Matt Painter and the first for Purdue since 2000 and like that 2000 team, the squad fell short of the ever elusive Final Four.
Carsen Edwards had a performance for the ages, but a lack of rebounding and some bad breaks (after Purdue was up three with seconds left in regulation) sent the game into overtime where Virginia ultimately came away with the win, their first Final Four trip since 1984. After the game, Edwards was named the South Region’s Most Outstanding Player and Ryan Cline earned a spot on the all-region team. While Purdue didn’t reach the Final Four, one thing is certain — Matt Painter coached the heck out of this year’s Boiler squad and has improved immensely over the past few years. The coaching staff, team, and fans gave their everything Saturday night.
If you’d like to help cover Trevor’s expenses bringing you the sights of Purdue’s Elite 8 in Louisville, consider supporting him on Patreon.
Here are his best photos from the game:
Carsen Edwards had one of the greatest performances in the history of the Tournament as he earned the South Region’s Most Outstanding Player honor. Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
Virginia’s Kyle Guy faces off against Ryan Cline. The pair were familiar with one another after playing against each other in High School. Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
Senior Grady Eifert handles the ball as part of Matt Painter’s patented motion weave. Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
With a short drive from campus and a potential Final Four berth on the line, Purdue fans made up the vast majority of the KFC Yum! Center, affectionately renamed “Mackey South” for the evening. Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
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Purdue fans cheer on the Boilers against the Hoos in the Elite Eight. Purdue fans made Louisville a decidedly home atmosphere with decibels regularly exceeding 100 throughout the game. Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
Aaron Wheeler guards De’Andre Hunter. Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
Larry “Cliz” Clisby was on the radio call for the Purdue radio networks. Clisby has battled through significant health issues prior to and during the season to which many Purdue fans helped contribute to his healthcare. Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
Eric Hunter, Jr. drives toward the lane on a fast break against Virginia. Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
Hunter lays the ball in on a fast break in the second half. Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
Matt Haarms displays a little emotion. Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
Nojel Eastern goes up for a layup amongst some Cavaliers. Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
Carsen Edwards dives past his defender in the second half. The junior guard scored 42 points against one of the top defensive teams in Division I. Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
Edwards lifts to shoot a three. Edwards made ten treys in the game to give the Boilers a solid chance to upset the 1-seeded Cavaliers. Edwards made 28 threes in the Tournament (four games), surpassing the previous high for tournament games (Glen Rice who had 27 makes in six games for Michigan in 1989). Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
Purdue Head Coach Matt Painter orchestrated a masterful season for Purdue, netting the third straight Sweet 16 appearance and first Elite Eight appearance since 2000. This was Painter’s 14th season at the helm for Purdue. Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
Trevion Williams goes up for a short jumper.
The young big teamed up with Haarms in the second half to help stymie Virginia’s dominance on the boards; the duo was a large reason why Purdue was able to claw back into the game after being down eight in the second half. Photo by Trevor Mahlmann.
Edwards walks off the court after suffering an overtime defeat to Virginia. Will Edwards return for a senior season and chance at redemption or use his program-best tournament scoring performance (139 points) to catapult him into the NBA?
While Purdue will lose at least two key players in Cline and Eifert and probably also lose Edwards to an early departure to pursue the NBA, the Boilers younger players earned significant playing time throughout the season and post-season play. Players like Haarms, Eastern, Wheeler, Hunter, Sasha Stefanovic, and Williams are all expected to return next year along with some new talent to build onto the program’s recent sustained success.
Check out the rest of Trevor’s photos from the game on his site here or venture into one of his many other galleries. He has a plethora of photos from Purdue Basketball and aerial shots of Purdue’s campus to lunar eclipses and rocket launches.
