The purpose of traveling to Hartford and playing No. 4 UConn in an exhibition game wasn't to win the game. That would have been an added luxury for Purdue, but the point of the trip was to identify where the Boilermakers need to make the biggest improvements heading into the regular season.

Purdue fell 76-53 to the fourth-ranked Huskies on Tuesday, less than a week before it heads to Las Vegas to play No. 15 Gonzaga to open the 2026-27 campaign. UConn exposed several of Purdue's weaknesses, but Matt Painter's bunch is using the game as a learning opportunity.

"It really humbled us, but in a good way. We are hungrier; we have more motivation, even more than we had before," starting point guard Omer Mayer said. "It's not about the losing; it's about how you react after a loss like that. It's an exhibition, but we make it count for us because we have to learn from our mistakes and get better."

The number that stood out most from Purdue's loss in Hartford was 8%, the percentage the Boilers shot from behind the three-point line. They connected on 2 of 25 shots from long range and finished with a field-goal percentage below .390 for the contest.

For Purdue, it would be too easy to point to the poor shooting percentages and attribute the performance to an off night. That's not how guys in the locker room are responding.

"From the UConn game, it was just our effort; rebounding the ball was the big thing," said junior guard Gicarri Harris. "Offensively, we were a little bit sped up. But there were a lot of new guys playing their first game against a high-caliber team like that. I think, now that we got that game out of the way ... we'll be in a much better position."

Tuesday's game against UConn wasn't a complete indication of how Purdue will operate this season. Painter acknowledged that he substituted more frequently than he will during a regular-season game. He also experimented with different rotations and allowed several guys to play extended minutes.

One thing Purdue did learn from the game is that playing with maximum effort is non-negotiable. For the rest of the season, the Boilermakers expect everyone wearing the uniform to play as hard as they can, regardless of how much time they spend on the court.

"Each and every one of us going out and maximizing our effort and maximizing our minutes," Harris said. "No matter if you're playing four minutes or you're playing the whole game, play as hard as you can at all times."

What can Purdue expect from Gonzaga?

Purdue doesn't have the advantage of easing into the 2026-27 season with its reshaped roster. The Boilermakers head to Las Vegas to play No. 15 Gonzaga on Monday night in the Hall of Fame Series.

Monday's contest gives Purdue a great opportunity for its young talent to prove itself. A game against one of college basketball's annual powers won't be easy, though.

"Great in transition, good size," Painter said of Gonzaga. "There are a few areas that are going to be so important for us, no matter who we play, but we have to do a better job of keeping people out of transition. These guys are really good in transition. That starts with taking care of the basketball, taking good shots, and setting your defense."

The matchup against Gonzaga is exactly the reason why Painter loves playing exhibition games on the road against quality competition. Although this will be a neutral-site matchup, the Boilers have to open their season away from Mackey Arena against one of the top teams in the sport.

Purdue learned plenty of lessons in the loss to UConn, but it also served as the team's first true road test. Perhaps that will be enough to eliminate the pre-game butterflies and early jitters for some of the younger guys in the locker room.