Purdue Basketball: Robbie Hummel's New Attitude Key to Boilers' Success

Robbie Hummel is known as one of the hardest working players in the country. Throughout his career, he has endured two ACL tears and a broken back, something not many can say. 

With Hummel's tough, blue-collar style, he is able to be known and beloved around college basketball, but his new style of play has propelled Purdue.

Since he was portrayed poorly in the media following an off-the-court incident in which teammates Kelsey Barlow and D.J. Byrd were punished, Hummel was scrutinized—something he felt was unfair. 

Since then, he has been on a tear. 

In the loss to Michigan State, Hummel had a fiery attitude about him. He was wearing his emotions on his sleeve, asking for crowd support and harder play from his teammates. It's the leadership that Purdue needed. 

In his past three games, Hummel is averaging 23.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and two blocks. 

This new Hummel is finally starting to click. He seems to finally be comfortable playing the 5 spot, and he looks close to the player he was before he went down with the knee injuries. 

With Purdue playing this well right now, it seems that they might just be ready to make a run in the tournament this season. A team that is still considered a bubble team by many is certainly playing well in the nation's toughest conference.

The win against Michigan could be the deciding factor for the Boilers. After escaping Mackey with a win, Purdue was out for revenge and got it against the Wolverines, destroying their senior night.  

With Hummel's new no-nonsense attitude and great shooting, Purdue could be a serious team to watch come March. 

This Matt Painter squad just seems to be peaking at the right time.