Senior Eric Hunter Jr. Making Most of Increased Opportunity for Purdue Basketball
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — After what was a slow start to his senior season with the Purdue basketball program, Eric Hunter Jr. is finding his rhythm as of late.
It's tough to stand out on a team that boasts future NBA Draft pick Jaden Ivey and the interior duo of Trevion Williams and Zach Edey. But since being inserted into the team's starting lineup two weeks ago, Hunter is getting more opportunities to make an impact.
"I think he's been great," sophomore forward Mason Gillis said of Hunter. "The work is slowly starting to pay off. We're in the gym together all the time, he's in the gym by himself all the time, and it's just finally coming out.
"It helps when you can play with a certain level of confidence. I think he really found that just over time. Sometimes a switch flips and you just can kick it in."
Hunter was officially named the starting point guard for Purdue ahead of a road game with Minnesota. He posted a career-high 20 points after scoring in double figures just three times entering the matchup.
Of course, the scoring outburst wasn't a sign that Hunter would start to lead the Boilermakers in attempted shots per game. But it showed just what he can do for the team when he's getting high-percentage opportunities.
Hunter's increased playing time has impacted his shooting, specifically from the 3-point line. Despite averaging just 5.8 points per game so far during the 2021-22 season, he's made a shot from beyond the arc in nine of the last 11 games.
The senior boasts a 44.4% mark on 3-point attempts. And when Purdue lacked energy inside Mackey Arena against Maryland on Sunday, down as many as 12 points in the second half, Hunter was one of the players that provided a spark.
"I think that Maryland game was tough, I think it was tough for both teams," Hunter said. "This is a tough period in the schedule. Both had a bunch of games here as of late, and I think we just had to be the ones to find it."
The Boilermakers, playing in their fifth game in 12 days, didn't find their fire against the Terrapins until about 10 minutes left in the game. After the team started 2-9 from deep in the first half, Hunter assisted on a 3-pointer by Sasha Stefanovic.
Hunter followed by making a shot from the 3-point line himself. He later made another, his second of the game, closing a 17-2 run that would be the stepping stone in a 62-61 victory. It was a nailbiter in front of a home crowd.
"The past several games, he's been dominant," Gillis said. "Not turning the ball over, scoring, picking us up on defense. Just helping out huge, and I don't think he's reached his ceiling."
The senior guard notched just eight points in the contest, but none bigger than the two triples during that scoring stretch. He also stole the ball away from Maryland, allowing Ivey to get to the free-throw line on a fastbreak.
Stefanovic led the team in scoring with 17 points thanks to five 3-pointers. and Williams recorded three baskets in the final five minutes to help secure a win. But Hunter was the only other player for the Boilermakers to hit two shots from beyond the arc.
"I think it was just really on us (seniors)," Hunter said. "Whether it be threes or stops, whatever it may be. We just knew we had to find it, and we knew that game was gonna be a tough game, just considering the circumstances."
Now, with the schedule quickly winding down and a Big Ten title run continuing to be a realistic scenario for Purdue, Hunter is finding himself in positions to make bigger plays in bigger moments.
And that should be something welcomed by a program looking to rely on its depth when tournament play comes in March. Role players won't always score in double figures for the Boilermakers, but several members of the team are capable of stepping up when it matters most.
"I think with our team, sometimes it's hard for guys to get a lot of opportunities because of our size, because of Jaden Ivey. And so you play off a lot of people" Matt Painter said. "He's gotten some opportunities, he's gotten some really nice drives. But he's really stepped up and made some timely threes.
"But anytime you do those things over a course of time or a course of games, it just builds your confidence. And you're excited about getting more of those opportunities, stepping up and making those shots."
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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.