Outside of a few bluebloods, going to a Sweet 16 makes a season a resounding success.
But Purdue’s 2021–22 season ending at that stage, particularly against a No. 15 seed, felt like a disappointment. That Boilermakers team was one of the most talented in school history, with a top-five NBA draft pick in Jaden Ivey, dual star bigs in Trevion Williams and Zach Edey and talented role players galore. It often showed glimpses of its tantalizing ceiling, but in large part left us wanting more until the final buzzer sounded against Saint Peter’s.