Boiler Banter: Be Patient with Newer, Younger Purdue
A lot of thoughts scrolled through my mind watching Purdue on the court for the first time on Saturday night in Omaha. I could get nit-picky. I could be critical. Or, I could just tell you what the reality is for the Boilermakers entering the 2024-25 season.
Yeah, I think I'll stick with that.
The honest assessment from Saturday's 93-87 loss to Creighton in a charity exhibition game can be summarized with one word: Patience. Matt Painter has assembled another roster of excellent pieces, but it's going to take a little bit of time for the puzzle to be complete.
Purdue knows what it is getting with the three returning starters from last year's 34-5 squad — Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn. Those three combined for 70 of Purdue's 87 points, led by Smith with 31.
Those three looked comfortable on the floor, especially on the offensive end. That's to be expected, having played plenty of basketball over the last two seasons. Everyone else, though? You could tell there were some jitters.
We also saw plenty of potential, especially from the newcomers.
Freshman guard CJ Cox checked in early in the first half and immediately knocked down a jump shot, his first attempt in a Purdue uniform. Daniel Jacobsen — the athletic, 7-foot-4 center — showed off his range by knocking down a 3-pointer in the first half. Gicarri Harris had a solid outing on the defensive end and did some good work on the glass, collecting six rebounds.
It was clunky and it was sloppy, but there were also flashes of brilliance. That should provide a level of optimism about Purdue's upcoming season.
The greatest concern came on the defensive side in Saturday's exhibition game. Creighton shot 60% from the floor and connecting on 13-of-28 attempts from behind the 3-point range. They pushed the paced and seemingly scored at will. It was a great first test for this young Boilermaker team.
In the past, coach Matt Painter has discussed the importance of having chemistry and trust on the defensive end. Right now, Purdue hasn't quite developed that. But that's to be expected with a team bringing in five freshmen and two new starters.
Plus, the Boilers no longer have a two-time National Player of the Year in Zach Edey protecting the basket — although Jacobsen has the length and athleticism to cause problems at the rim.
Saturday night was about this young Purdue team facing a major challenge in a road environment. It provided Painter an opportunity to tinker with lineups and see how his team handled pressure. Was it perfect? Absolutely not. Far from it, actually.
But there are a lot of reasons to be excited about what the Boilermakers can accomplish this coming season. It's going to take some time.
So take a deep breath, relax and try not to overreact when this team has its early-season struggles. In time, it'll all come together.
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