Shots Falling Again For Purdue Sophomore Gicarri Harris After Tough Start
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The first six games of the season may have been frustrating for Gicarri Harris, but he never showed it. Even though shots weren't falling for the sophomore guard in the first three weeks of the season, he continued to come in off the bench and do his job to the best of his ability.
Shots finally started falling for Harris over the last two games, including Purdue's 81-65 victory over Rutgers on Tuesday night. He connected on 4-of-5 shots, including three made buckets from behind the three-point line, all coming in the first half.
It was the second straight game that Harris scored in double figures. And in a rough-and-tumble first half against the Scarlet Knights in Piscataway, the guard's contributions were significant.
"He was the difference in the first half. We were up 13, and he had 11 coming off the bench, hit three threes. It was a big punch in the arm for us, giving us that energy," coach Matt Painter said. "It was good to see him get going. He hasn't shot the ball well, but he hasn't had a lot of opportunities and attempts."
The last two games have been vastly different from the first six for Harris. In those first six games, the sophomore made just 5-of-23 attempts from the floor (21.7%) and hit only 2-of-8 shots from long range. He totaled 15 points across those contests.
In Purdue's wins over Eastern Illinois and Rutgers, Harris has looked like a much more confident player. He has made 9-of-13 field goal attempts (69.2%) and is 4-of-8 from three-point range (50%). He's scored 23 points in those pair of victories for the Boilers.
Harris said, in the last two games, he's been more ready and willing to shoot the basketball when it comes his way. He believes that's helped his performance tremendously.
"Just being shot-ready at all times, I feel like that helped," Harris said. "I was sprinting, doing my job both defensively and offensively. Tonight was a good night for me, and I'm looking forward to building off that."
Performance vs. EIU was important
Harris had every reason to be hesitant with the ball in his hands. When you're shooting below 25% from the floor, it can be easy to think instead of play. But Painter is a coach who instills confidence in his guys, and Harris is no different.
Leading into Purdue's game against Eastern Illinois on Black Friday, Painter said he "stayed positive" with Harris and never lost confidence in the sophomore guard, especially since he had gone through a similar situation during his freshman campaign.
"I always try to tell them ... it's really hard to be consistent when you get inconsistent minutes," Painter said after the win over Eastern Illinois. "You see what he can do when he can play, and that's what he has to do, just stay positive and keep plugging. He shot so well in the summer, shot so well in the fall, shot well in the two exhibitions. It's very similar to last year at this time."
Last year, Harris struggled to find the bottom of the net during his freshman season, but things started to turn around when the calendar flipped to January. He was a 40% shooter and provided Purdue with plenty of spark off the bench.
It didn't take him until January this season, but that game against Eastern Illinois on Black Friday may have turned Harris' year around. He scored 12 points on 5-of-8 shooting, grabbed six rebounds, and dished out two assists in a 109-62 win.
"That game was good for me, because when we had our exhibitions and scrimmages, I was playing really well. Then I kind of fell off a little bit," Harris said. "So that game was good for me to find my rhythm, get back to what I was doing before. Now, I have to stick with it."
Harris found his jumper at exactly the right time for the Boilers. They have games against No. 10 Iowa State, Minnesota, Marquette, No. 20 Auburn, and Kent State before diving into Big Ten play for the remainder of the season. Purdue could use an additional scoring punch off the bench.
As difficult as the first six games may have been, Harris' poor shooting never affected the way he could impact the game on the glass or on the defensive end. Now that the shots are falling, he has the potential to be the most impactful bench player on Purdue's roster.
"He's resilient, he works, always comes up and watches film, always trying, maybe a little too conscientious at times instead of just hooping," Painter said. "He's a big part of our team, and it's good to see him do well."
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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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