David Jenkins Jr. Knocks Down 3-Pointer in Season Debut for Purdue Basketball
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — A friendly-fire mishap in practice prevented Purdue newcomer David Jenkins Jr. from making his 2022-23 debut with the team last Tuesday against Milwaukee.
After a collision with junior forward Mason Gillis on Saturday, Jenkins brandished a blackened right eye that was swollen shut. He feared the injury might set him back the first few weeks of the season, but that was before visiting a plastic surgeon in Lafayette to remove a blood clot and regain proper visibility.
That took place on Thursday, just one day before the Boilermakers were set to tip off against the Austin Peay Governors at Mackey Arena, and Jenkins was well enough to log 15 minutes in a 63-44 win.
"I haven’t practiced since Saturday, and obviously missed the game too, so I haven’t been able to get up and down a little bit," Jenkins said after the game. "I liked how [coach Matt Painter] put me out there in certain spots and mixed it up.
“It felt good, man. The energy is crazy out there and I’ve got a bunch of teammates with high character who lift you up through the ups and your downs. So it was a pretty good transition going into this game.”
Jenkins finished the game with just five points on 1-of-2 shooting but made one of Purdue's two 3-pointers in the entire contest. The team missed its first 16 straight shots from beyond the arc, which meandered into the second half.
With 7:44 left to play in the game, Jenkins settled himself in the corner and drilled a deep shot after receiving a pass from Gillis. The triple put the Boilermakers up 47-32, and he would later tack on the team's final two points of the night by getting to the free-throw line.
After knocking down a total of 12 shots from the 3-point line in the season opener, Purdue still managed to pull away against Austin Peay despite poor shooting as junior center Zach Edey tallied a career-high 30 points. The team finished the game 2-of-19 from the deep.
"That's not something that's going to stick," Jenkins said. "It can't rain forever, so I know next game and the games after we'll make sure to hit 3s."
Jenkins is one of several players on this year's team that can hit 3-pointers with relative consistency. And as he continues to get back onto the floor following his injury, he'll be a key piece as the Boilermakers continue through the regular season.
The team is scheduled to take on Marquette next Tuesday at 8:30 p.m. ET inside Mackey Arena for the Gavitt Games. The matchup will be broadcast on FS1.
"I thought getting him to 15 minutes was good," Painter said of Jenkins' performance. "Anybody who's competitive wants to play more than that and stay out there. Obviously, he hit a big 3 for us in the corner, but I thought he played hard and did some really good things.
"You sit out for a week, you'd be amazed how you lose your wind and your conditioning suffers a little bit. But we needed him to get out there and get this game under his belt so he can be ready for Tuesday."
Related Stories on Purdue Basketball
- Zach Edey Dominantes in Purdue's 63-44 Win Over Austin Peay: Purdue junior center Zach Edey led all scorers with a career-high 30 points on 12-of-13 shooting in the team’s win over Austin Peay. He was perfect in the first half and finished the game as the only player in double figures for the Boilermakers. CLICK HERE
- Purdue, Austin Peay Photo Gallery: Purdue basketball defeated Austin Peay on Friday night inside Mackey Arena to improve to 2-0 on the season. Take a look at the sights during the victory by scrolling through 20 pictures from the game. CLICK HERE
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.