Purdue Basketball: 2021-22 season preview and outlook for Boilermakers

Starters

Much of the optimism revolving around Purdue stems from the Boilermakers’ reservoir of experience.  All five projected starters are expected to be those that rolled out for Purdue’s final assortment of games, including the Boilermakers’ closing tilts with Ohio State and North Texas in the Big Ten Tournament and NCAA Tournament, respectively.

While Purdue is not typically a team that runs its offense through just one guard, there is still a point guard who has served as the Boilermakers’ floor general for the past two seasons in Eric Hunter, Jr.  After missing the opening four games due to injury, the senior became more of a fallback facilitator as the season progressed, going from notching double-digits in five of his first six appearances to just five times in the subsequent 18 tilts.

Hunter, Jr. averaged just under two assists per game across February and March, which was understandable, given the team gravitated towards more the shooting guard position as the season went on.  In his freshman campaign, Jaden Ivey excelled, breaking into the starting lineup halfway through the season and logging double-digit efforts in 11 of Purdue’s final 13 games, largely becoming the Boilermakers’ main source of offense across February and into March.

Despite a woeful 25.8% shooting clip from outside, Ivey should enter 2021-22 with All-Conference aspirations, coming off a season where he shot 50.8% inside the arc, ranked in the top 300 nationally in percentage of possessions and shots (per KenPom), and averaged 11.1 points per game.  Additionally, Ivey ended his debut campaign in stylish fashion, pouring in a game-high 26 points on 10-24 shooting in 42 minutes of play.

As the team’s offense transitioned heavily into Ivey and Trevion Williams’ hands, Sasha Stefanovic’s contributions faded over time, particularly after a sudden COVID-19 positive test sidelined him for two weeks – but the senior was still effective, particularly early in the season.  Stefanovic logged eight double-digit games in his opening 16 tilts prior to his COVID-19 pause.

Like Hunter, Jr., Stefanovic also gravitated towards more of a facilitator role, logging just a pair of double-digit performances in his final nine games – but instead averaging nearly three assists a game, including a career-best eight assists in a narrow win over Wisconsin.  Stefanovic should earn small forward duties yet again and should continue to be a key contributor, particularly after a season where he ranked in the top 250 nationally in 3P% (40.0%), FT% (84.2%), and offensive rating (65th), per KenPom.

The power forward position may be the lone question mark among the five spots, given that the Boilermakers’ top two recruits are both power forwards, and both should receive ample playing time – but Mason Gillis, after a solid freshman campaign, should continue to start in this slot.  The 6-6 sophomore notched double-figures on four occasions, largely courtesy of a 60.0% shooting clip from inside the arc – and he was noticeably effective on the boards, hauling down 4.1 caroms per game.

That leaves Trevion Williams, one of best players in college basketball – and one of the most valuable to their team.  At 6-10, Williams was a force in his junior season, recording double-digits in 21 games – with eight of those being 20-point-plus performances – finishing with a team-best mark of 15.5 points, to go along with 9.1 rebounds.

This is all without mentioning the big man’s passing prowess; Williams averaged 2.25 assists per game, and nearly recorded a triple-double in the Boilermakers’ mid-December match with Ohio State, where he tallied 16 points, nine boards, and eight assists.  Ultimately, few players were as crucial to their team’s success as Williams, who ranked second in percentage of possessions used and first in percentage of shots taken, nationally, per KenPom.

Now entering his senior season, Williams is a genuine contender for National Player of the Year honors and the cornerstone of Purdue’s success.