NCAA Basketball: Kansas, Purdue, Marquette, and Tennessee takeaways from Maui Invitational
1st place – Purdue Boilermakers
Positive takeaway: Lance Jones has emerged as a real x-factor
On a team with Zach Edey and capable scoring guards like Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith, Purdue needed someone else who could step up on both ends to fill the holes. That player was Jones, who scored 13 points in the win against Gonzaga and had 11 versus Marquette.
The transfer from Southern Illinois has emerged as a key starter, averaging over 30 mpg and now taking on the opposing team’s best player. He made 5/15 from deep through three games as well and can be a key part of the offense whenever the other guards don’t have it. Jones won’t be perfect but so far, he’s proven to be a good transfer pickup.
Negative takeaway: Production from the four-spot hasn’t been great
When you have a center like Zach Edey averaging over 20 ppg and 10 rpg, it’s not going to be realistic to have a power forward next to him put up great stats all the time. But the combined 40 mpg of production from guys like Trey Kaufmann-Renn, Caleb Furst, and Mason Gillis was inconsistent at best.
Kaufmann-Renn isn’t a true power forward and can’t space the floor so his minutes next to Edey is clunky. Gillis is the lone spacing forward on the team but he can have down games on both ends. And they can’t go small, as Myles Colvin and Camden Heide don’t look to be ready for bigger minutes.
Next. 5 mid-majors with early strong resumes. dark
It’s a small complaint for a team that just picked up three straight big wins but that position continues to be one of concern for Purdue going forward and unless someone emerges, could be the reason why they don’t win it all this season.