5 Things We'd Like to Learn From Purdue Basketball's Canada Trip
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Purdue will soon be testing its 2026-27 team, heading to Canada to play four games in five days. It's a great opportunity for a group of players who are preparing for new roles with the program this season.
There will be a lot to watch with this team in action in Canada, but there are a few things we're hoping to learn from this trip.
How Omer Mayer handles the pressure
Mayer makes the move from a role player off the bench and an off-ball guard to being the primary ball-handler and leader of the offense. He may have a year of experience at Purdue, but that's going to be a significant jump for the sophomore.
Last year, we saw Mayer make his fair share of freshman mistakes, which is to be expected. With the basketball in his hands more, though, he needs to cut down on those errors and limit turnovers. He has to be a great decision-maker.
As a point guard, Mayer is more aggressive than Braden Smith was in getting to his shot. He's not afraid of breaking defenders down and getting to a mid-range jumper or attacking the basket.
This will be the first time we've seen Mayer in this role for the Boilermakers. How has he improved from last season and what adjustments does he still need to make with the ball in his hands more frequently?
Where Purdue stands defensively
Purdue shook up its staff a bit in the offseason, with Terry Johnson departing and Kenneth Lowe joining the bench. He's working alongside Paul Lusk to help the Boilermakers on the defensive end. While massive changes aren't expected, what are the tweaks will be made given the new personnel in West Lafayette?
The Boilers are undoubtedly losing a lot in terms of offensive production from last year's team, but this group could actually be much better defensively. This group has more size and athleticism at the guard positions, which is an excellent starting point for its perimeter defense.
Daniel Jacobsen provides the much-needed rim protection and Caden Pierce is an excellent four-man, capable of guarding multiple positions and rebounding the basketball. Antione West Jr. might be the best on-ball defender Purdue has on the roster.
Perhaps the biggest question about the defensive end is where the communication stands. At Purdue's practice on Tuesday, it seemed to be in a much better spot than the previous two seasons, but will that translate from Cardinal Court to live competition?
What are the changes to the offense?
The offensive playbook P.J. Thompson utilizes is thick. Purdue has several different sets to keep teams guessing. The Boilermakers utilized Zach Edey's size in the post in the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons. In the past two seasons, they thrived with Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn in the short roll.
Right now, Purdue doesn't appear to have that dominant post player. Instead, it has a group of big men who can post up, but can also step out and knock down shots from the free-throw line and beyond. How much will that change things offensively?
Jacobsen said earlier this summer that Purdue's offense would look a little different than in previous years. This Canada trip will allow us to see what the Boilers are going to incorporate offensively to maximize the skills of their guards and bigs alike.
Is C.J. Cox now the No. 1 scoring option?
Cox is the only returning starter from last season and is also the top-returning scorer. As a sophomore in the 2025-26 campaign, he averaged 8.5 points and shot 45.7% from the field. It's been an assumption that he's going to be the top-scoring option for the Boilermakers this year.
As we all know, though, everything is earned in West Lafayette. Has Cox done enough to prove he can be that consistent scoring threat for Purdue? Is he going to be the No. 1 option in the offense? Or have others emerged as better options?
Right now, it's hard to imagine that Cox won't be one of the focal points of the offense, but this is still a Purdue team that has plenty of talent. Pierce was a primary scoring threat at Princeton, Mayer isn't afraid to find his shot and Jacobsen could be a problem as a lob threat and in the post.
Purdue has several potential candidates to be the No. 1 scoring option in this year's offense.
The rotation at the five
There are several interesting battles and rotation options Purdue is working through this offseason. The five spot might be the most interesting, though. Jacobsen seems like the guy who will be the starter, with Raleigh Burgess sharing minutes at that position.
However, Burgess has become a vocal leader on the floor for the Boilers, brings a strong physical presence and can knock down shots from anywhere. What does Purdue value and how does each guy fit into what it's trying to accomplish on both ends of the court?
Purdue has experimented with different rotations and styles since Edey's departure at the five. This position hasn't been decided yet, and it's going to be interesting to see what each guy brings to the lineup.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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