Purdue's Rotation Adjustment That Turned Boilers Back Into a Final Four Contender

Oscar Cluff wasn't a player who could consistently give Purdue 25 to 30 minutes on the court when he first arrived in West Lafayette. The nature of his job in the post would take a toll on his body and stamina.

A lot can change in the course of one college basketball season, though. Cluff's newfound endurance in recent weeks has led to a rotation change for Matt Painter's team, one that might put the Boilermakers in the best position possible to make a Final Four run.

For a majority of the season, Cluff was pulled out at the first media timeout and Daniel Jacobsen was brought in for relief. Over the last few weeks, Painter has made a switch, largely due to Cluff's ability to play heavier minutes more consistently.

Rather than substituting Jacobsen for Cluff after that first media timeout, Painter has sent Jack Benter in to replace Trey Kaufman-Renn. Then, after a few more minutes — sometimes after the second media timeout — Kaufman-Renn returns to the floor in place of Cluff, allowing the Boilermakers to roll with a small-ball lineup.

Over the last six games, Cluff is averaging 29.1 minutes per game, a five-minute increase from his full-season average. Despite the grind of the Big Ten Tournament, Cluff continued to thrive with more minutes, averaging 17.3 points and 9.5 rebounds per game in Purdue's four-day run in Chicago.

Purdue Boilermakers center Oscar Cluff (45) shoots a free throw. | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Kaufman-Renn has flourished with this new rotation, as well, scoring 15.3 points and grabbing 7.0 rebounds per game for the Boilers during the Big Ten Tournament.

For most of the regular season, it was a rarity to see Cluff's minutes eclipse the 25-minute mark. It only happened eight times through 31 games — six times in the first 29 contests. But Purdue has found more success with the senior center on the floor for extended stretches.

Stamina doesn't appear to be a concern for Cluff. If it were, we would have seen it at some point in the Championship Game against Michigan. Instead, he scored 21 points and chased down five rebounds to help Purdue get an 80-72 win.

Right now, the only thing that could keep Cluff off the floor for less than 25 minutes is foul trouble. If he can avoid that, Purdue will have its best chance to make a deep run in the tournament.

Jacobsen's minutes diminish in new rotation

Northwestern Wildcats forward Tre Singleton (8) defends Purdue Boilermakers center Daniel Jacobsen (12). | David Banks-Imagn Images

At times during the season, the 7-foot-4 Jacobsen had provided Purdue with a nice punch off the bench. He added an element of rim protection and gave the Boilermakers a lob threat offensively because of his length.

Jacobsen still provides those things, but he's not seeing the same amount of playing time because of Cluff's increased role. He has averaged fewer than seven minutes per game over the last seven contests, down from more than 13 minutes per game for the majority of the regular season.

In spurts, Jacobsen provides Cluff with some much-needed relief. But because of his decrease in playing time, it's much harder for the sophomore to make a significant impact.

Right now, Purdue likes what it has with Cluff playing 29 minutes per game. It also values the different look it gives opponents when he's on the bench, Kaufman-Renn shifts to the five and Benter plays the four spot. It's been a rotation that has been incredibly successful for the Boilermakers as of late.

For Purdue to win a championship, though, it requires everyone to produce when their number is called, even if the effort doesn't show up in the stat book. Jacobsen may not be playing significant minutes, but he can continue to provide value when he steps on the floor.

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