2023-24 ITH Season Preview: Purdue Boilermakers – Inside the Hall

As the college basketball season approaches, our focus shifts to the conference as a whole, including a deep dive into Indiana’s roster.

Today, we conclude our team previews with a spotlight on Purdue.

Previously: Penn State, Minnesota, Rutgers, Michigan, Nebraska, Iowa, Ohio State, Maryland, Northwestern, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan State

Purdue emerged as one of the most intriguing stories in college basketball last season, until their unexpected NCAA tournament defeat.

The Boilermakers, surprisingly unranked in the AP preseason top 25, went on to win both the Big Ten regular season and tournament titles, earning themselves a No. 1 seed.

However, Purdue’s journey was abruptly halted with a shocking loss to 16th-seeded Farleigh Dickinson in Columbus, Ohio. This marked only the second time in history that a No. 1 seed was eliminated in the round of 64, the first being Virginia.

Matt Painter, head coach of Purdue, remains hopeful that his team can rebound just as Virginia did after their devastating loss to UMBC in 2018, ultimately leading them to win the national title in 2019.

Unfortunately, Purdue’s track record in the NCAA tournament has been less than stellar. They have suffered defeats to lower-seeded teams in three consecutive tournaments: Saint Peter’s in 2022 and North Texas in 2021.

Heading into this season, Purdue boasts the national player of the year, Zach Edey, entering his fourth season in West Lafayette. Standing at an impressive 7-foot-4, Edey tested the NBA draft waters but decided to finish his college career with a strong postseason performance.

Last season, Edey averaged an extraordinary 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, and 2.1 blocks per game. Notably, his conditioning significantly improved as he played an average of 31.7 minutes per game, leading the team in that category.

Joining Edey in the frontcourt are Mason Gillis, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Caleb Furst.

Gillis, standing at 6-foot-6, excels as a versatile player who can stretch the floor and capitalize on limited opportunities in the paint. Notably, he shot 37.3 percent from beyond the arc in Big Ten play last season and an impressive 66.7 percent on 2-point field goals.

Kaufman-Renn, who redshirted his first year, came off the bench as a freshman and averaged 4.5 points and 1.8 rebounds per game. The 6-foot-9 forward has displayed talent, but consistency will be key for him moving forward.

“He really had a great summer. He’s leaned out,” Painter told Field of 68. “He’s really working toward the defensive piece because that’s what we need.”

Furst, a significant recruiting acquisition for Purdue, has played a role player thus far in his two seasons. He achieved close to 61 percent shooting on 2-point field goals last season, averaging 5.5 points and 4.6 rebounds per game.

In the backcourt, Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer will once again lead the way, having started as freshmen last season.

Smith, at 6-foot, logged 30.3 minutes per game in his freshman campaign, averaging 9.7 points, 4.4 assists, and 4.2 rebounds. Notably, he shot 37.6 percent from behind the arc and is poised for improvement this season with a year of experience under his belt.

Loyer, the second-leading scorer from last season, averaged 11 points and connected on 59 3-pointers, albeit at a 32.6 percent clip.

“He can really score, but he’s gotta learn to play in advantageous scenarios,” Painter told Field of 68. “Beat people on close-outs. Getting angles from his cuts. Get things in transition. He’s in a great spot. You always want to play with a great point guard, and you always want to play with a great center. I think he’s going to make a big jump.”

Guard Ethan Morton returns to the team, joined by freshman Myles Colin and Southern Illinois transfer Lance Jones.

While Morton may not fill up the stat sheet, his solid defense, low turnover rate, and exceptional passing ability make him a valuable asset. Meanwhile, the 6-foot-5 Colin brings athleticism to the team and was highly regarded as a top-100 recruit from Heritage Christian in Indianapolis.

Jones, a fifth-year player, spent last season at Southern Illinois in the Missouri Valley Conference. Standing at 6-foot-1, he possesses scoring prowess, averaging 13.8 points per game, along with strong defensive skills, 65 made 3-pointers, and over 1,500 career points.

Two other Boilermakers who could see playing time are forward Brian Waddell and redshirt freshman Camden Heide. Their minutes on the court may depend on their ability to consistently knock down perimeter shots, as opposing defenses will frequently focus on Edey, necessitating reliable scoring options.

Bottom Line: Purdue is the clear frontrunner to win the Big Ten conference and is expected to be a popular pick for the Final Four. Edey’s dominance on the court, combined with the anticipated growth of Smith and Loyer as sophomores, along with a talented supporting cast, positions the Boilermakers for success. Nevertheless, their performance in March Madness will ultimately define their season. After three consecutive disappointing tournament exits, the pressure is on to deliver, especially in what is likely to be Edey’s final season.

Quotable: “You don’t want to say what you really feel (in the moment) because you don’t want to take anything away from your opponent I’ve got a lot of respect for anyone who laces them up. It’s embarrassing. We’ve fought to get into the best position, and we’ve squandered it. It eats at you. That’s the bad part of coaching. You should cherish the Big Ten championship and you should cherish the (conference) tournament championship. But you just think about that. And you should. We need to do something about it.” – Painter to Field of 68 last month.

Filed to: 2023-24 Big Ten preview, Purdue Boilermakers