Purdue basketball coach Matt Painter says Rapheal Davis helped save his job

Matt Painter was in his 10th season as Purdue basketball coach. He was wondering if it would be his last.

The Boilermakers — who had won at least one NCAA tournament game in each of the previous six years — finished below .500 in the 2012-13 and '13-14 seasons and struggled early in the '14-15 campaign.

What Painter didn't know was that a player on that team was helping him reset Purdue's attitude for a return to the NCAA tournament. He revealed that player as Rapheal Davis on a recent episode of the " Make a Difference " podcast with retired basketball coach Phil Martelli.

How Rapheal Davis helped Matt Painter

Painter was trying out-of-character things early in 2014-15, such as playing zone defense. Painter had consulted legendary Indiana high school coach Basil Mawbey , wh