Making His First Start in 2 Years, Caleb Furst Comes Up Big for Purdue
With just over nine minutes to play in Thursday night's game against Minnesota, Purdue's Myles Colvin attempted a 3-pointer as time was expiring on the shot clock. The ball bounced off the rim and three Golden Gophers were in position to grab the rebound. But Boilermakers senior forward Caleb Furst was the guy who made the play, tipping the ball back into the hoop and giving his team a 54-43 lead.
That play epitomized Furst's night in Minneapolis. The senior, who made his first start since Feb. 25, 2023 (vs. Indiana), ended the game with a season-high 11 points, six rebounds, an assist and a block. He played a critical role in Purdue's 81-61 victory at Williams Arena, the Boilermakers' first road win of the season.
"When he plays like that, it helps us out so much. He's obviously been here, he's a senior, he's been through basically everything — same things we've all been through," Braden Smith said after the game. "He has the experience and knows what to do. It makes our lives a lot easier when he's able to do the little things and make an impact that way."
Furst's journey has been an interesting one in West Lafayette. He started 12 games as a true freshman during the 2021-22 season and started in 21 contests as a sophomore during the 2022-23 campaign. Over the past two seasons, the Fort Wayne native has served as more of a role player for the Boilers.
When his number has been called, though, he's always been ready. Furst may not always have the best shooting night or collect every rebound, but he finds ways to impact games. When he's able to put some big numbers on the stat sheet, it only makes Purdue better.
"I've been waiting for Caleb to turn that corner, and I think he has," Fletcher Loyer said. "Obviously, he's got to keep doing it. I'm going to keep pushing him. But he's a senior and he's won two Big Ten championships. It's just what it takes and he's going to keep proving that."
Coach Matt Painter wanted to make a switch to the starting rotation following Sunday's game against Toledo. He scored just two points and grabbed five rebounds, but was excellent on the defensive end in 21 minutes of work.
Furst's effort on the defensive end and his willingness to rebound helped make Painter's decision easier to put his senior forward into the starting lineup. Plus, he liked the matchup against Minnesota big man Dawson Garcia.
"I just looked at it as they wanted me in there to do my job, which is to guard (Garcia), bring energy, rebound, do all those other things," Furst said. "For me, I tried to look at it no differently than any other game, just starting a little quicker.
"Coming off the bench, you usually have 10 or 15 minutes in real time to settle in, see how the game's going, see how it's playing out. So, just being ready quicker."
Through 14 games, Furst is averaging 4.5 points, 2.3 rebounds and is shooting 50% from the floor. He's also averaging just 12.5 minutes per game.
But Furst has seen a lot more time on the court over the last two games, logging 21 minutes against Toledo and 30 against Minnesota. With those increased minutes, the senior forward could be even more productive for the Boilermakers.
"Paint talks about it a lot, it's hard to be really good in limited minutes," Furst said. "I feel like the game opens up a lot more, opportunities open up a lot more and you can get into the flow of the game and get more comfortable."
It's hard to know whether or not Furst will solidify himself as a starter for the remainder of the season. When his number was called on Thursday night, he provided a much-needed spark for a team struggling with consistency.
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WHAT PAINTER SAID: Purdue picked up its first road win of 2024-25 with an 81-61 victory over Minnesota on Thursday. Here's what coach Matt Painter said after the game. CLICK HERE
LOYER MAKES RIDICULOUS 3-POINTER: Purdue junior guard Fletcher Loyer banked in a desperation 3-point attempt late in Thursday night's win over Minnesota. He was all smiles after the bucket. CLICK HERE
PURDUE GETS FIRST ROAD WIN: Purdue outscored Minnesota by 19 points in the second half and picked up an 81-61 win at Williams Arena. It was the first road win of the year for the Boilers. CLICK HERE
