NCAA Basketball: 10 biggest takeaways from opening week of 2021-22 season

Trevion Williams is putting the team first

Does the credit go to Matt Painter for making the move, or does it go to fourth-year Trevion Williams for accepting the role of coming off the bench in order to split playing time with second-year center Zach Edey? Either way, it is imperative that Williams is recognized as a team-first player and who will almost be a guarantee for the Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year award.

The 6’10 Williams started 26 on 28 games last season as he averaged 15.5 points per game, was named to the All-Big Ten First Team, and then before the 2021-22 season even began he was placed on the 2021-22 Wooden Award pre-season list. There was a hint that this was going to be the case as the 7’4 Edey started the Boilermakers exhibition game versus UINDY.

In that game, Williams played two fewer minutes yet was outscored by Edey 20 -10. Versus Bellarmine, on opening night Edey not only played 21 minutes to Williams’ 15, but Edey scored 15 points to Williams’ four. In that game, Williams attempted just one shot.

As the season progresses and conference games begin, the playing time will be a lot closer to an equal share as opposed to a starter and bench player, but if Williams continues to put the team first this might be just the change Boilermakers need. Purdue is returning all five starters, 94 percent of their scoring, and 91 percent of their playing, this, however, is from a team that finished fourth in the Big Ten and suffered a first-round loss to North Texas in the NCAA Tournament.

Something had to be different from last season and early on it seems Coach Painter wants 20 quality minutes from Williams as opposed to the 25 good ones from last season.