Purdue Basketball Second Among High-Major Programs in Returning Minutes for 2021-22

Purdue basketball is one of two high-major programs returning more than 90% of its minutes from the 2020-21 season. The Boilermakers lost just two players via the transfer portal.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The Purdue basketball program is projected to be among the best in the country during the 2021-22 season, mostly due to the number of last year's starters returning to the team.

According to Barttorvick.com, the Boilermakers are returning 91.3% of their minutes this upcoming season, which ranks second among all high-major programs in the country.

Purdue and Butler are the only two high-major programs returning more than 90% of last year's minutes. Ohio State ranked second in the Big Ten Conference and eighth among high-major teams by returning 78.9% of its minutes. 

The percentage assumes that center Trevion Williams returns to the team in favor of pursuing professional opportunities. Williams announced on April 12 he would declare for the NBA Draft but will retain his collegiate eligibility with Purdue. 

In the 2020-21 season, Williams played in all 28 games for the Boilermakers and averaged 25.2 minutes per game. Only guards Eric Hunter (30.5) and Sasha Stefanovic (29.3) averaged more minutes per game.  

So far, the Boilermakers have lost just two members of last year's roster, both via the transfer portal. Forward Aaron Wheeler will spend his next collegiate season at St. John's after four years with the program, and center Emmanuel Dowuona committed to Tennessee State. 

Wheeler appeared in all 28 games for Purdue last season and contributed 18.3 minutes per game. Dowuona did not play due to injury. 

Purdue Basketball Minutes in 2020-21

Player

Games

Games Started

Total Minutes

Minutes Per Game

Eric Hunter Jr., Guard

24

23

733

30.5

Sasha Stefanovic, Guard

25

21

732

29.3

Trevion Williams, Forward

28

26

705

25.2

Brandon Newman, Guard

28

23

666

23.8

Mason Gillis, Forward

28

23

621

22.2

Jaden Ivey, Guard

23

12

557

24.2

Aaron Wheeler, Forward

28

5

512

18.3

Isaiah Thompson, Guard

28

5

499

17.8

Zach Edey, Center

28

2

410

14.6

Ethan Morton, Guard

23

0

198

8.6

Matt Frost, Forward

2

0

5

2.5

Jared Wulbrun, Guard

2

0

5

2.5

Chase Martin, Guard

2

0

5

2.5

Carson Barrett, Guard

1

0

2

2.0

Top-10 High-Major Programs in Returning Minutes

  1. Butler — 94.1%
  2. Purdue — 91.3%
  3. Tulane — 87.5%
  4. UCF — 83.0%
  5. Xavier — 81.1%
  6. Notre Dame — 79.7%
  7. UCLA — 79.5%
  8. Ohio State — 78.9%
  9. Connecticut — 78.6%
  10. Washington State — 77.7%

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Published
D.J. Fezler
D.J. FEZLER

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.