Matt Painter Talks Potential Lineup Changes Ahead of Purdue vs. Marshall
Don't be surprised if you see Matt Painter tinker with Purdue's starting lineup over the next few games. Right now, he says nothing is etched in stone for the Boilermakers.
Painter has been consistent with his starting lineup over the last three games, sending out Will Berg, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Gicarri Harris, Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer to open games. Through Purdue's first five games, the only time the Boilers made a lineup change is when their hand was forced.
Freshman Daniel Jacobsen began the year as Purdue's starting center in the first two games. However, the 7-foot-4 rookie was injured just one minute into the second contest of the season against Northern Kentucky. He's likely out for the year with a right leg injury.
Thursday, Painter was asked if he's married to the current starting lineup. That's when he hinted at some possible changes.
"We'll mix some things up. You're still trying to find what a good mix is for certain guys and you're trying to find production, more than anything," Painter said. "When you get opportunities and you get chances and you're not productive, you've got to be able to look in other directions. Sometimes it's a mix of guys, sometimes it's just straight personnel and one guy is more productive than the other."
Painter didn't get into specifics regarding the potential lineup changes, but he has plenty of options if he wants to alter the starting five.
Senior forward Caleb Furst has played well when his number has been called, coming off the bench to average 4.8 points and 1.4 rebounds per game. Myles Colvin's defense has improved tremendously. Cam Heide stretches the floor at the four position. CJ Cox has proven he can knock down shots.
It's a good problem to have for any coach.
"We'll see. We'll see what we get to," Painter said. "Whether you start or not, we've had some guys like CJ Cox finished a game for us. Myles Colvin finishes games for us, Cam Heide has finished games for us, while they're not starting. But you want to get off to good starts, you want to have that mix. It does affect, when you start people, how you get into your rotations. It's not just about the first four minutes of each half, it's also how you sub from there."
Whichever way Painter goes with his starting lineup, he wants to see improvements in two areas following Purdue's 76-58 loss to Marquette.
"We've got to rebound the basketball better, we've got to take care of the ball better," he said.
Whatever lineup can help in those areas might be the one that Painter sends onto the floor first for Saturday's game against Marshall. It could be the same one we've seen the last three games, or it could look a little bit different.
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