What Purdue's 3 Exhibition Games Revealed About the Upcoming Season
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If there's been an overarching theme for Purdue basketball over the past few seasons, it's that we should never look too deeply into how it plays in exhibition games. Matt Painter truly uses preseason games to experiment with different lineups, work through offensive and defensive schemes and get guys valuable minutes before the preseason starts.
So, I'm not going to overreact to Purdue's two 30-point wins over Ball State or Purdue-Fort Wayne. I'm also not hitting the panic button following a 76-53 loss to No. 4 UConn. The Boilermakers have done some positive things in the preseason, but there's also plenty of room for growth.
What stood out during Purdue's preseason contests? Here are a few things worth mentioning as Matt Painter and his team prepare to open the regular season next week.
Daniel Jacobsen will play a lot
Right now, Daniel Jacobsen is head and shoulders above his peers at the five spot (literally and figuratively). There may not have been a better example of that than in Purdue's final exhibition game against UConn. Purdue was much better with the 7-foot-4 center on the floor, especially on the defensive end.
Jacobsen seems to be embracing the physicality better than he did last season, an attribute Purdue needs from the big man. He only had seven points and three rebounds against the Huskies, but erased four shots and altered several more.
It's important for Jacobsen to continue to defend without fouling so he can remain on the floor. The guards must also do a better job of finding him in the post, especially when the three-point shot isn't falling, something we'll talk about a little bit later.
C.J. Cox is the most consistent player
The veteran experience of C.J. Cox was a bright spot for the Boilermakers through the three exhibition games. He was the most consistent scorer in those three contests and the only player to reach double figures in each preseason game.
Cox scored 15 against Ball State, 13 against Purdue-Fort Wayne, and led the team with 18 against UConn. He shot 64.5% from the field in those three games and made 50% of his shots from behind the three-point line.
Some wondered how Cox would handle the pressure of taking on a bigger role and being one of the top options offensively. He's already embracing that opportunity.
A starting lineup appears to be settled
Painter rolled out the same starting lineup for each of Purdue's first three exhibition games, which probably indicates that he has his mind made up on the first five to start the season. That group includes Omer Mayer, Gicarri Harris, Caden Pierce, Cox and Jacobsen.
This group has only played exhibition games together, but it looks like the most consistent and might be the best defensively for the Boilermakers, at least early in the season.
There's a good chance that this lineup will change at some point in the year, even if it's matchup-dependent. For now, though, it looks like Painter has his starting lineup for Monday's game against Gonzaga.
Heavy three-point approach
Coming into the season, there was an expectation that Purdue would probably rely a little more heavily on the three-point line for its offensive production. That's played out through three exhibition games.
In those three games, Purdue attempted 32.7 three-pointers per game. The Boilermakers found success in the first two contests, shooting 42.5% against Ball State and connecting on 39.4% in the second exhibition against Purdue-Fort Wayne. They struggled against UConn, hitting just 2 of 25 from long range. For comparison, the Boilers attempted 24.0 three-pointers per game last year.
Because of this year's roster, Purdue has several guys who can make shots from long range. It's going to be a key piece of the Boilermakers' offensive identity. They still need to find more consistent ways to score when those shots aren't falling, though.
The young guys will go through some growing pains
As talented as Antione West Jr., Luke Ertel and Jacob Webber are, those three are going to endure through a learning curve. All three had some nice moments in the three exhibition games, but they were all frustrated by UConn's defense in the final preseason contest.
Each of those players is capable of taking major strides throughout the season, but don't be surprised if it takes them a little longer to find a rhythm and get comfortable playing at the Big Ten level.
West and Ertel will likely get plenty of minutes, and Webber could be a role player for this year's team. It's going to be fun to see how each of those guys progresses.
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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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