WEST LAFAYETTE - Purdue coach Matt Painter doesn't see it and, yes, that irks him. The defense is not prime-time ready. It is not something to fear. Not yet, anyway.

“We have some work to do,” he said.

Imagine that. A college coach demanding better defense.

“As a coach you're never where you want to be as a defensive team,” he said. “You're always striving to get there, striving to get that perfection on the defensive end.”

Striving goes public tonight when Purdue plays its first of two exhibition games. This one is against California of Pennsylvania at Mackey Arena.

Defense is one of the staples of a Painter-coached team, just as it was under former coach Gene Keady. It is physical defense, relentless defense, the kind of defense that rips the structure from offenses and, perhaps, wins championships. That's a top priority for the No. 7 Boilers in their quest to end a 29-year Final Four drought.

“Our team defense needs to be great, especially with how deep people have us going in the (NCAA Tournament),” senior guard Keaton Grant said. “We want to meet those expectations, so we need to play great defense.”

The key is five guys playing as one. That timing, so much in sync during Purdue's Sweet 16 run last spring, faded in the offseason, as it does every offseason.

“It's the one thing that slips the most - the details and discipline on the defensive end,” Painter said.

Yes, Painter lets the Boilers know it.

“If you talk to Coach, we don't play defense,” Grant said with a smile. “That's good for us. We have to get back to sitting in a (defensive) stance for 40 minutes. Make sure we have good help side defense, follow the scouting report. Get back into that rhythm and we'll be fine.”

Summer pickup games have their benefits, but developing defensive skills isn't one of them.

“During pickup games, there is no defense,” Grant said. “Well, there is some defense, but all the defensive principles like staying tight on screens and fighting over ball screens go out the window. You get lazy with it just like any player.

“The only thing we really stick with is if somebody scores two baskets in a row, that's when we really want to lock down. I don't want anyone scoring three or four times in a row.”

Added Painter: “You'll guard your man, but then in everything else you don't hold yourself accountable. That's happened for a hundred years. It's not just our guys. It's everybody's guys. So you have to reel in your guys and relearn some things.” Relearning becomes a fall rite of passage.

“You've had some slippage so you have to establish your foundation and patience defensively,” Painter said. “If you don't establish your foundation in that first four to six weeks, you won't get it back.”

Purdue's early foundation must come without 6-9 freshman forward Sandi Marcius. He's out four to six weeks after fracturing a bone in his right foot at Friday's practice.

“Sandi had been playing well,” Painter said. “He'll turn his attention to rehab, and we look forward to having him back in four to six weeks.”