Big Ten Preview – #11 Purdue Boilermakers
By Eric Smith
Strange to think that in the last 7 years the Boilermakers have finished second or better in the Big Ten 4 times, yet head coach Matt Painter may have one of the hottest seats in the country right now. After the success the Boilermakers saw from 2007-2011, it has been nothing but a downward spiral, finishing worse every year, and ending last season 12th out of 12 in conference. Thankfully for Purdue fans, the Boilermakers should be better off this season.
Key Losses
- Terone Johnson, Ronnie Johnson, Sterling Carter, Jay Simpson and Errick Peck
Purdue loses a lot of experience this year with Terone Johnson graduating and Ronnie Johnson transferring to Houston. The Johnson brothers were one and two for the Boilermakers in minutes per game, points per game and assists per game. Sterling Carter and Errick Peck both finished playing in their fifth and final season last year, and sadly, redshirt freshman Jay Simpson was forced to retire from the game of basketball due to a heart condition.
New Faces
- Isaac Haas (#10 C), Vincent Edwards (#31 SF), Dakota Mathias (#51 SG), and P.J. Thompson (#56 PG) and Jacquil Taylor (#78 PF)
Team Structure
- Projected Starters:
- PG SO Bryson Scott 6’1” 201 lbs
- SG JR Raphael Davis 6’5” 211 lbs
- SF SO Kendall Stephens 6’6” 193 lbs
- PF SO Basil Smotherman 6’5” 222 lbs
- C JR A.J. Hammons 7’0” 251 lbs
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The Boilermakers will be led this year by reigning Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year A.J. Hammons. Hammons averaged 3.1 blocks per game last year, and was one of the best big men in the country when he was able to stay out of foul trouble.
Additionally, Kendall Stephens could be poised for a breakout year this season. The 6’6” swingman shot 37% from 3-point land, leading the boilermakers as a true freshman in 3-point field goals made.
With no proven big men besides Hammons on the roster, look for Purdue’s offense to be very perimeter scoring based. Bryson Scott, Raphael Davis and Basil Smotherman should all see an increased scoring load with the departures of the Johnson brothers, who combined for over 600 shots last year. It seems the Boilermakers’ offense is begging for a scorer to step up and take control.
Coach Matt Painter will hope that incoming center Isaac Haas is able to make an impact off the bench. The 7’2” 300-pound center from Alabama has the size and strength to compete in the Big Ten from day one. As a top 10 center in his high school class, he could be a dark horse freshman of the year candidate in the Big Ten.
Conclusion
Boilermaker fans should be cautiously optimistic going forward this season. This team has the potential to surprise in the Big Ten, but also lacks the depth and experience to make it into the top half of a competitive conference. If Hammons can stay out of foul trouble this year, the Boilermakers could be one of the better defensive teams in the conference and could squeak into the tournament. However, in a worst case scenario, an unproven Purdue team could struggle heavily to score. In what is possibly the best defensive conference in the country, don’t be shocked if Purdue finishes bottom 3 missing the tournament yet again.