Education continues for Purdue's Caleb Swanigan

ANN ARBOR, Mich. — The education of Purdue power forward Caleb Swanigan continued Saturday at Michigan's Crisler Center.

We start with the positives, including Swanigan's game-high 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting. The man they call "Biggie" snapped a four-game 3-point drought by hitting two big ones in the second half. It appeared, at the time, they might help push Purdue past the Wolverines.

However, in the final 3 minutes, Michigan's Zak Irvin took advantage of Swanigan's ongoing adjustments on defense. Irvin scored five points in a game-ending 11-0 run as the Wolverines rallied for a 61-56 victory.

That's the give and take Purdue's highest-profile recruit since Glenn Robinson has endured this season. The promise is apparent – often realized, even. Yet like any freshman inserted into the starting lineup from day one, Swanigan remains a work in progress.

"It was just another learning experience," Swanigan said of defending Irvin. "He hit some good shots against me. I tried not to give him anything easy, any layups. I think I let him blow by me once and get a layup, but other than that, it had to be a pull-up jumper, which is the toughest shot in basketball, and he hit them."

On a day when centers A.J. Hammons and Isaac Haas combined to make 9-of-21 from the field, Swanigan was Purdue's most dependable post option. So the Wolverines backed up and dared him to shoot. Swanigan, who had forced some quick, contested 3s during an 0-for-10 stretch over the previous four games, countered with restraint.

Only when left completely alone at the top of the key one minute into the second half did Swanigan put up a 3. It was good, snapping a 31-all tie. The Wolverines did the same thing again 3 minutes later. Again, Swanigan surveyed his options before draining a tiebreaking 3.

"I felt like that was their game plan, to fall back on me," said Swanigan, who came in shooting 17.4 percent from 3-point range in Big Ten play. "I felt like I may not have hit them the last two games, but I’m going to hit an open shot if you keep giving me open shots."

Irvin lines up at power forward in Michigan's four-guard lineup. Swanigan, 6-9 and 250 pounds, said he did his best to keep the 2013 IndyStar Mr. Basketball in front of him. When Irvin hit a 3 with 2:43 left to halve the Purdue lead and spark Michigan's game-ending run, Swanigan said it was hard to get out on the shooter because he also had to defend the roller on the wing.

Purdue coach Matt Painter was asked after the game why he didn't switch to someone else to defend Irvin in those crucial minutes. Irvin made 4-of-6 from behind the arc after halftime, and other tall shooters have taken advantage of the matchup in the past.

"He guarded him most of the game," Painter said. "One of them plays (power forward) for them and one of them plays (power forward) for us. We’ll mix some things up and change some things around, but in particular lineups, he’s got to be able to guard him and stay with him."

Vince Edwards can sympathize. Last season, he was the one taking on tough matchups at the position. Remember Edwards trying to battle Wisconsin's Frank Kaminsky, the eventual national Player of the Year?

While Edwards said Purdue must help Swanigan in those matchups, there's no easy way around those challenges. He must go through them.

"I know how he feels," Edwards said. "He has to keep fighting and keep working."

Follow Journal & Courier reporter Nathan Baird on Twitter: @nbairdjc.