Purdue University men’s basketball coach Matt Painter began his remarks to a crowded Washington Community Building on Thursday by complimenting the food at the Senior and Family Services fundraiser. Of course, over the past two and half years, Painter and several other big time college basketball coaches have become well acquainted with Washington cuisine, as he proved when he listed by name and speciality several area dining establishments.

And while the local fare is undeniably of high quality, it’s the menu of basketball talent at the Hatchet House — with the main course going by the name of Tyler Zeller — that has brought Painter to Washington many times since he took over as head coach at his alma mater three years ago. And though Purdue lost out on Zeller, who is now a freshman at the University of North Carolina, Painter returned to Washington on Thursday to raise money for SAFS.

“This is not about being an Indiana person or a Purdue person. This is about helping a good cause in the senior center,” Painter said, referring to the rivalry between Indiana and Purdue Universities. “It’s a great opportunity, a win-win situation.”

In an interview prior to the event, Painter stressed speaking engagements like Thursday’s are a benefit to Purdue and local organizations.

“I think it’s two fold. Obviously it’s for a good cause in Senior and Family Services, you get to help out a community like Washington,” said Painter. “Also, you get to represent your institution and go within the state and get a chance to talk about Purdue basketball.”

Painter, who played basketball at Purdue for the coach he eventually replaced, Gene Keady, was the third in what has become an annual event for SAFS. Two years ago, then Iowa head coach Steve Alford and his assistant, Washington native Craig Neal, spoke at the fundraiser, followed last year by former Indiana coach Kelvin Sampson. But ticket sales for the this year’s fundraiser with Painter set a record for the event.

Painter often made jokes at his own expense during his talk, and alluded several times to Purdue’s rivalry with Indiana, noting that he grew up in a household of Hoosier fans in Muncie. When Keady began recruiting Painter to play at Purdue, Painter thought his father, an IU graduate, would have none of it. But to his surprise, he said his father encouraged him to look at the Boilermaker program.

“My dad said ‘Gene Keady is a good coach who requires discipline in his players. And son, you need some discipline,’” Painter joked.

But Painter did get serious when talking about his program. The Boilermakers sank to the bottom of the Big Ten at the end of the Keady regime, and Painter wanted to return Purdue to the lofty status Keady’s Boilermakers held during the 1980s and 1990s, when Purdue was a perennial top-25 team and conference title contender. Under Painter, the Boilermakers have enjoyed a tremendous resurgence, going 25-9 overall and 15-3 in the Big Ten last season, a campaign which saw Purdue finish second in the conference, a season that garnered Painter Big Ten Coach of the Year honors.

But Painter didn’t bring a win at any cost approach to Purdue, saying “We wanted to upgrade our talent, but only if we were upgrading our character too.” He called himself a coach of few rules, saying only he requires his players to “Be on time, try your best, and act right.”

Purdue will open the 2008-09 season at Mackey Arena against Detroit Mercy. Purdue then begins play in the NIT Season Tip-Off against Eastern Michigan on Nov. 17. The Boilermakers are the top seed in that tourney.