Busting Brackets
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Big Ten Basketball: Breakout candidate from each team for 2020-21 season

By Trevor Sinodhinos

MADISON, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 01: D'Mitrik Trice #0 of the Wisconsin Badgers reacts in the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at the Kohl Center on February 01, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)
MADISON, WISCONSIN - FEBRUARY 01: D'Mitrik Trice #0 of the Wisconsin Badgers reacts in the second half against the Maryland Terrapins at the Kohl Center on February 01, 2019 in Madison, Wisconsin. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images) /
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ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 09: Head coach Matt Painter of the Purdue Boilermakers (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN – JANUARY 09: Head coach Matt Painter of the Purdue Boilermakers (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

Purdue: Isaiah Thompson

Purdue Basketball is in need of a point guard, which was glaringly evident during their 9-11 Big Ten season. Eric Hunter Jr. is not the permanent answer to Carsen Edwards graduating after 2018-19. Coach Matt Painter needs to get  6’4, 175 pound Hunter Jr. more playing time at the two-guard. Coach Painter is from the Gene Keady coaching family and has adopted an offense that revolves around various staggered screens, that often sees the ball back in the point guard’s hands late in the shot clock.

Isaiah Thompson produced more as a freshman than Hunter Jr did, which should be enough for coach Painter to trust Thompson to run the offense during the upcoming season. As a freshman, Hunter Jr. played 12 minutes and averaged two points and one assist, in contrast, Thompson was trusted with 18 minutes has a freshman and averaged five points and less than an assist.

Four-star recruit Jalen Ivey is not a pass-first guard, so he should not take too many minutes from Thompson. With Matt Haarms transferring, if 7’3 recruit Zach Edey is unable to contribute substantial minutes, a quicker pace of play may be necessary. As a point guard, a higher scoring average may not be the by-product of the uptick in minutes for Thompson, but it will improve as will his assists to about five per game.

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