Trey Kaufman-Renn Tells Purdue Fans What to Expect From Daniel Jacobsen, Oscar Cluff
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Have you ever wanted to see a 7-foot-4 center shoot from behind the three-point line regularly? Purdue fans may get that with Daniel Jacobsen this season, according to senior forward and All-American Trey Kaufman-Renn.
Yes, I can already hear the giggles of optimism filtering out of West Lafayette.
Jacobsen began last season as Purdue's starting center until he suffered a leg injury that sidelined him for the remainder of the year. He's back to full strength this season, and he's joining Oscar Cluff at the five spot — the South Dakota State transfer who averaged a double-double last year.
In an interview with the Field of 68 last week, Kaufman-Renn was asked to describe each player's game. He spoke highly of Cluff's ability to rebound, and also made an interesting comment on Jacobsen's shooting ability.
"They're very different players," Kaufman-Renn said. "Daniel can really shoot the ball. He's going to be shooting a lot of threes for us this year. His ability to pick-and-pop with his size is going to be hard to contest. When people rotate on him, it's not really going to affect his shot.
"Obviously, Oscar is coming in as one of the best, if not the best, rebounders in the country. They can both score, they can both defend. So, you're going to see the size presence of two traditional fives."
Purdue having multiple big men on the roster isn't anything new. Having them shoot the long ball, though? That's a rarity in West Lafayette.
It sounds like the pick-and-pop is a strong aspect of Jacobsen's game, though. If he can prove to be efficient from behind the three-point line, it would be a huge advantage for the Boilermakers.
Rebounding a big key for Purdue
It's hard to know how much Jacobsen could've helped Purdue's rebounding issues if healthy for the entire 2024-25 season. However, coach Matt Painter knew that was an area the Boilermakers had to address.
Bringing in Cluff filled a big void on the roster. The 6-foot-11 center averaged 17.6 points and 12.3 rebounds per game at South Dakota State a season ago, and is one of the top rebounders in college basketball.
Having both Cluff and Jacobsen being able to help on the glass should help Purdue's high-powered offense even more.
"That was a big thing last year, we weren't a great offensive rebounding team or defensive rebounding," Kaufman-Renn said. "So, when you can get high-quality shots like we do and the coaching staff allows us to have, and then you have a chance to get the rebound, you're in a good position."
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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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