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give Purdue versatility and tenacity in its frontcourt and perimeter skill at the 4 position, where he would appear to be a front-runner to start. During the Boilermakers' first scrimmage of the preseason, Peck led all Purdue players with 12 rebounds while also nicely complementing Hammons and Simpson in high-low situations as a passer out of the high post. Carter, a 6-foot guard, is a shooter, one who made 170 threes in a little more than two seasons at Seattle University. But he's eager to contribute just as much as a defender, where he'll be part of the three-headed point guard trio (along with Ronnie Johnson and Scott) that Purdue hopes can exert significant pressure on opposing ball-handlers, one of the Boilermakers' long-standing defensive staples. As much as anything else, though, what the two fifth-year players can contribute to Purdue is maturity — Carter's 23 years old, Peck 22 — Tom Campbell Sterling Carter will be an immediate upgrade to the Boilermakers' outside shooting game. with a career's worth of diverse experiences behind them. The freshmen have no experience, but unlike last season, they don't need to be fast-tracked to the floor. That's not to say, though, they're not fast-tracking themselves. "We have three freshmen who aren't competing to play," Painter said. "They're competing to start." Stephens, now fully recovered from the shoulder injury that ended his high school career prematurely, might be the finest pure shooter Purdue has recruited in years, an element the Boilermakers so badly need after being so poor from long distance last season. Tom Campbell Scott is physically ready to Kendall Stephens' length and shooting range may make him ready to be a prime-time con- contribute, whether it be shartributor early in his career. f ing minutes with Ronnie Johnson at the point or playing alongside him at times at another backcourt position. A prolific scorer in high school and potential tone-setter defensively, Scott has already brought a spark of energy to Purdue with his hyper-competitive, sometimes overly so, demeanor. Smotherman, a 6-6 forward who'll play both forward spots and could guard as many as four positions at times, is Purdue's best athlete, capable of playing above the rim, whether it's rebounding or attempting to finish in transition. Early in his career, Smotherman will be asked to run, rebound and defend above all else. If nothing else, Purdue feels confident it has the weapons needed to reverse its fortunes significantly. "I feel like we're capable of winning it all," Terone Johnson said. "We have tremendous talent. We've just got to bring it together. We've been bringing it together we just have to do that on a consistent basis." Purdue likes its pieces — loves them, really — and that's all fine and good in October, but it will obviously have much to prove. Its six-year NCAA run snapped last season, the Boilermakers have fallen out of the national consciousness, understandably after last season's disappointments. Most prognosticators, almost always basing their predictions off seasons prior, foresee another visit to the bottom half of the Big Ten in 2013-14. With so much unknown, and Purdue having played so uncharacteristically poorly last season, few around West Lafayette would IllustrateD volume 24, issue 2 13