NCAA Basketball: 2019-20 preseason national top-25 power rankings

Purdue has been one of the best teams in the nation for the past few seasons. Under the leadership of head coach Matt Painter, the program has emerged as a consistent force on the national stage. Even without a Final Four appearance since 1980, it is still reasonable to assume that they will make the NCAA Tournament with the potential of a deep run just about every year. That same theory applies to this coming season although there are far more question marks than normal in West Lafayette.

The most important of these centers around the departure of Carsen Edwards. Purdue’s star guard elected to forgo his senior season and head to the NBA this offseason. It was definitely the right choice for his future considering his stock following the 2019 NCAA Tournament and his potential at the next level. On the other hand, though, the Boilermakers lack proven scoring across the board for this season.

Their defense should remain rock-solid but Purdue heavily relied on Edwards, with a dash of shooting from now-graduated Ryan Cline, to carry the offense last season. Whenever the team was struggling from the field or stuck in a late-shot-clock situation, the play design was simply “get the ball to Carsen and get out of the way.”

That mentality will not work this season as Purdue lacks his star power. Nonetheless, Coach Painter is one of the best in the business and he has several capable scorers on the roster. It is reasonable to expect that the Boilermakers will be more balanced on the offensive end of the floor this time around even if they are slightly less potent.

Matt Haarms might be the most well-known returning player for Purdue but watch out for breakout campaigns from Trevion Williams and Aaron Wheeler. These two rising sophomores look the part of future stars for the team. Purdue will need a few players to step up this season and those two look primed to rise to the occasion.

Additionally, nobody should undersell the addition of High Point graduate transfer Jahaad Proctor this offseason. Proctor averaged 19.5 points per game last season, albeit at a low-major level, and should provide a nice scoring punch.

The last player that definitely deserves mention is Nojel Eastern. The 6-foot-6 guard is already a proven contributor and will carry more of the offensive load this season. Eastern averaged 7.5 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game last season and should be in for a much bigger campaign. He was named to the preseason All-Big Ten team.