Matt Painter Not Concerned About Trey Kaufman-Renn's Recent Struggles
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Trey Kaufman-Renn has earned the benefit of the doubt. Over the last year and a half, the Purdue forward has played an instrumental role in the Boilermakers' success. Rarely has the All-Big Ten player had an off night.
In Purdue's last three games, though, Kaufman-Renn hasn't quite looked the same. In wins over Penn State, Iowa, and USC, the senior has averaged 8.0 points, 4.6 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and is shooting just 37.5% from the floor. All those numbers are well below his season averages.
Kaufman-Renn had a tough night on Saturday against USC, finishing the game with just five points on 2-of-8 shooting. He had just three rebounds and shot only two free throws, making one.
After the game, coach Matt Painter said there is no reason to be concerned about Kaufman-Renn's game. He was pleased that the forward has taken quality shots recently, but they just haven't fallen.
"He had a couple of good looks. When we got in foul trouble, offensively we liked going with him at the five, we knew we'd get him opportunities there, he just didn't knock them down," Painter said in a video posted by GoldandBlack.com. "I thought they were good shots. He had one post-up, had a couple floaters ... he's taking good shots."
Kaufman-Renn's latest three-game stretch is nit-picky. Maybe he hasn't hit shots at a high clip, but he remains Purdue's third-leading scorer, averaging 12.7 points per game. He's also the team's top rebounder, grabbing 9.1 boards per contest.
Because he's coming off a season in which he averaged more than 20 points per game and shot nearly 60% from the floor, his performance is under a microscope. But Painter does not doubt that his senior forward will find that floater again and will be a major factor for the Boilermakers for the remainder of the season.
"TK will be fine," Painter said. "He just has to keep his focus, keep going, and play confident."
Kaufman-Renn still producing at a high level
All college basketball players go through a rough patch here and there. It's part of the game. And while Kaufman-Renn might be enduring one right now, his production this season isn't something that should be forgotten.
Just two weeks ago, the All-Big Ten forward scored 14 points, grabbed 14 rebounds, and dished out six assists in Purdue's 81-73 win over Washington. Kaufman-Renn has scored in double figures in 13 of the 15 games in which he has played. He's recorded seven double-doubles.
Without question, Kaufman-Renn is still a key piece in Purdue's success. He's proven over the last two years that he can deliver in clutch moments an provide the Boilermakers with consistency.
He may be in a slight rut at the moment, but Kaufman-Renn has all the skill necessary to bounce out of it soon.
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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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