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 Pssst. Hey, America. Coupla guys here have a message for you.

Their names are Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer, and that message is ...

Hmm. How do you translate a big, fat raspberry into English?

Because that's what Smith and Loyer gave you, America, after hearing all week that Purdue's guards weren't this and Purdue's guards weren't that, and Zach Edey would have to score a million points, block a gazillion shots and Windex the glass a goo-gob of times for No. 3Purdue to have a chance against No. 1 Arizona.

 That's because Arizona's guards were just too good. It's because Loyer, Smith and Co. couldn't guard them. It's because they wouldn't be able to score because 'Zona's guards would be all over them like stink on dog-doo.

That's what you said, right, America? All you wise guys out there with your Xs and your Os and your revealed wisdom?

Well ...

Let us examine what happened Saturday in Indianapolis, shall we?

Let's review No. 3 Purdue taking down the No. 1 team by eight, 92-84, and how the Purdues dominated most of the day, and how Big Zach went for 22 points and nine rebounds, which if my math is right was a goodly ways away from a gazillion points and goo-gobs of rebounds. Let's review, mostly, what those overmatched guards Smith and Loyer managed to do.

Smith went for 26 points, four rebounds, two assists and three steals.

Loyer put up 27 points, a rebound, three assists and four steals.

Together, the two of them knocked down 9 of 16 from the 3-point arc. Along with Purdue's other starting guard, Lance Jones, they outscored Arizona's three starting guards -- Caleb Love, Pelle Larsson and Kylan Boswell -- 62-45.  And they protected the basketball better, too, turning it over six times to the Kansas trio's eight.

So I guess you know where you can stick your revealed wisdom, wise guys. I hear the sun never shines there.

Now, to be sure, Smith and Loyer are not going to go for 53 every night, or flush nine-of-16 from arc. Loyer in particular is still notoriously streaky on the offensive end, and occasionally a liability on the defensive end.

But they are also yea better than the version we saw last season, when both were still learning that the college game was not high school. And the addition of Jones gives the Purdue backcourt a dose of quicks it didn't have last year, which no doubt has something to do as well with Smith's and Loyer's improved performance.

In other words: This team is not just Big Zach 'n' Them Others. It's better than last year's team because of that. How much better, we won't know until March.

Which of course is what it invariably comes down to in West Lafayette. And everywhere else besides.