What to Watch From Purdue's 3 Freshmen in Exhibition Game vs. Kentucky
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Three Purdue freshmen are going to get their first taste of college basketball on the big stage on Friday night. Jack Benter, Antione West Jr., and Omer Mayer are likely all going to see the floor this weekend as the Boilermakers head to Lexington to play Kentucky in an exhibition game.
Benter was on last year's team, but didn't see any game action while utilizing a redshirt year. Mayer has never played college basketball, but has made appearances for Tel Aviv Maccabi in the EuroLeague. This will be West's first experience at the next level.
What should we be watching from these three on Friday night in Lexington? Here's an idea of what to look for throughout the exhibition game.
Jack Benter, redshirt freshman
Benter utilized his redshirt year well and has become one of the most versatile players on Purdue's roster. Heading into the season, it sounds like Painter wants to use the 6-foot-6 Benter in the backup four spot, or potentially at the four if the Boilermakers ever decide to roll with a small-ball lineup.
Benter can put the ball on the floor, shoot from long range, and is a good passer at the four spot. He's also a competitor who can defend multiple positions on the floor, something that Purdue finds beneficial.
Has Benter secured the backup spot for Kaufman-Renn? Is there still a bit of a battle with Liam Murphy? Are his minutes entirely dependent on the game situation? We won't get all of these questions answered on Friday, but we may get at least some indication of where and how we see the redshirt freshman on the court.
Antione West Jr., true freshman
We still don't know if anyone on the roster is going to redshirt this season, but West is one of two likely candidates to take that option because of the loaded backcourt he joined. But that decision probably won't be easy, as the newcomer from Toledo has shown the ability to contribute to this year's team.
The 6-foot-3, 195-pound guard is a tough perimeter defender who can put pressure on the basketball. Is there a chance we see him get a shot at defending SEC Preseason Player of the Year Otega Oweh at any point? If you want to see how he handles that type of situation, what better game to learn than in an exhibition?
West is a high-volume shooter, which isn't a need for the Boilermakers this season. If West does suit up for Purdue this season, his contributions would likely come on the defensive end.
Omer Mayer, true freshman
The addition of Mayer in the offseason was another contributing factor to Purdue's preseason No. 1 ranking in both the Associated Press and Coaches polls. He's a traditional point guard who is learning to play off the ball alongside Braden Smith.
Much like Benter, though, a big question about Mayer is the number of minutes he plays. He's also battling CJ Cox, Gicarri Harris, and potentially West for minutes in Purdue's backcourt. The freshman guard is a big-time playmaker, but may take one too many risks at this stage in his career. He can shoot from anywhere on the floor, gives Purdue an additional ball handler, and is an excellent passer.
Most of Mayer's best qualities come on the offensive end, and those will certainly be worth watching against Kentucky. Can he hold his own on the defensive end? That might be the most interesting thing to keep an eye on this Friday night when it comes to Mayer's game.
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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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