For Purdue and Coach Painter, this was a long, long, long time coming. But the Boilermakers survived a 21-5 run, a late game deficit, and overtime to overcome the Tennessee Volunteers 99-94.
For Coach Painter, the moment is bigger than that. After back-to-back losses in the Sweet Sixteen, and a 14-year career with his alma mater, the four time Big Ten Coach of the Year will be making his first appearance in the Elite Eight to take on the winner of Oregon and Virginia.
For Purdue, the game looked too similar to big games in recent years.