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Purdue Basketball: Projected starting lineup and depth chart for 2021-22 season

By Jason Burgess

Purdue guard Brandon Newman (5) pumps up the team before the start the first half of an NCAA men's basketball game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the Indiana Hoosiers, Saturday, March 6, 2021 at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette.Bkc Purdue Vs Indiana
Purdue guard Brandon Newman (5) pumps up the team before the start the first half of an NCAA men's basketball game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the Indiana Hoosiers, Saturday, March 6, 2021 at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette.Bkc Purdue Vs Indiana /
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Purdue Basketball guard Eric Hunter Jr. Big 10 Men S Basketball Purdue Vs Ohio State Buckeyes
Purdue Basketball guard Eric Hunter Jr. Big 10 Men S Basketball Purdue Vs Ohio State Buckeyes /

Point Guard

Last season Purdue was a guard-heavy team, and even with two highly-touted forwards coming in I expect more of the same from the Boilermakers. More often than not in 2021 Purdue started four guards and a forward, and given the roster has remained intact, that type of rotation probably remains the same, at least to begin the year.

Some of the irony with Purdue’s four-guard lineup is that the offense more often than not runs through the one guy who is not a guard. The guard group will certainly be led by is Ivey who many across the sport believe that the 6-4 sophomore is poised for a monster season. But, if someone has to be listed as the point guard, that should be Eric Hunter, Jr. The steadiness of the senior Hunter, Jr. should accompany Ivey in the backcourt. Hunter, Jr. averaged 8.5 points and a team-high 2.8 assists across the 24 games and 23 starts.

When Hunter, Jr. isn’t on the floor, Ivey will have the ball in his hands even more. In his first campaign, the 6’4 sophomore averaged 11.1 points and 3.3 rebounds but it was the way he ended the season that has people excited. Over his last seven games, he netted over 17 per game, including 26 in the loss to North Texas in the NCAA Tournament, and shot the three-ball at a 35% clip. His play this summer at the FIBA World Cup did nothing to calm the fervor surrounding Ivey as he helped lead Team USA to the title.

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