Fletcher Loyer Alleges Uneven Rims Factored Into First Half Shooting Woes vs. Memphis
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Fletcher Loyer didn't know he would need to pack a tape measure when Purdue headed to the Bahamas for the Baha Mar Championship this week. Apparently, one would have been handy before the top-ranked Boilermakers played Memphis in the first game of the event on Thursday night.
Loyer struggled from the floor in the first half of Thursday's game, going 0-of-5, which included four missed shots from three-point range. He had just two points in the first 20 minutes of play.
The Purdue senior said that he wasn't just having a poor shooting half on Thursday. He alleges that the rim the Boilermakers had in the first half was raised slightly higher than a traditional hoop.
"It was the rim," Loyer said when he was asked about the first half struggles, then gave a smile. When asked what was wrong with the rim in the first half, he said it was "a little bit higher."
Unlike in the movie Hoosiers, though, Loyer didn't have a tape measure to use. Instead, he measured it "with his eyes."
Loyer's performance in the second half makes his claim believable. He ended the game with 20 points, shooting 6-of-9 from the floor and connecting on 4-of-6 attempts from three-point range. He gave the Boilers a huge spark, leading his team to an 80-71 win over a physical Memphis squad.
Loyer, who has never claimed anything like this before, finished his comments on the matter by saying, "I'm not lying."
If you want more evidence behind Loyer's claim, you could also look at Memphis's second-half shooting numbers. The Tigers made just 1-of-10 shots from three-point range after switching ends of the floor.
We may not get an official answer on the rim situation from Game 1 at the Baha Mar Championship, but Loyer seemed to believe it was a major factor in his shooting woes in the first half.
You really do have to be prepared for anything in college basketball.
Purdue's shooting in win vs. Memphis
Whether the rims were actually the issue or not, Purdue did shoot the ball better in the second half of Thursday night's game against Memphis.
The Boilermakers shot 42.4% from the floor in the first half and made 28.6% of their three-point attempts. In the second half, they boasted a 50% field goal rate and hit 43.8% of their shots from long distance.
Obviously, Loyer's success in the second half played a big role in Purdue shooting better in the second half. Did the Boilers just get into a rhythm, or were they playing on a rim that was at the proper height?
We'll let you be the judge.
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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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