Big Ten Basketball: Preseason power rankings for 2022-23 season

Can a college basketball team in today’s era center around the biggest of big men, one who can’t space the floor from three? Purdue is about to find out.

The Boilermakers were one of the best teams in the Big Ten all year long. The program even reached the No. 1 ranking in the AP poll in December for the first time in school history. They ultimately finished third in the Big Ten and advanced all the way to the Sweet Sixteen, where they became the final victims of Saint Peter’s.

Much of the talent from that team, however, is gone. First and foremost is emergent star Jaden Ivey, who became a lottery selection in the NBA Draft. Trevion Williams has caught on with the Golden State Warriors, while sharpshooter Sasha Stefanovic is a free agent after participating in the Summer League.

As Matt Painter somehow enters his 18th season, he’ll be gearing the team around 7-foot-4 center Zach Edey, the tallest player in Big Ten history. Edey was a Second Team All-Big Ten player last year, averaging 14.4 points and 7.7 rebounds per game. He’s not a three-point shooter, though, and can probably expect to draw double teams inside every time he touches the ball.

Thus, the supporting cast will need to step up. The names to look out for include Caleb Furst, Mason Gillis, and David Jenkins Jr., who transferred from Utah. All three are capable of averaging double-digit points and the leading scorer could shift on a nightly basis.

Brandon Newman will be a critical player this season. He was up-and-down last season and needs to prove he can be a lead guard and step up if the Boilermakers are going to survive the loss of Ivey.

A couple of the best players of the Painter era are gone, but Purdue still has enough talent to make a run to the NCAA Tournament and perhaps go further than last season.