Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/211302
basketball: news and notes vertime He was getting us a lot of blocks, which sent the ball the other way. "I just think having him in there was a huge presence for us." Hammons also scored 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting, with five rebounds, in only 17 minutes. In the days leading up to his season debut, Hammons talked about the important of earning his team's "trust" back in the wake of the suspension and said he'd play as hard as he could in hopes of making up for it. "I thought he was ready to play at the start of the game," Coach Matt Painter said. "I Hammons Makes Presence Felt Right Away BY BRIAN NEUBERT BNeubert@GoldandBlack.com B didn't think he was ready when he subbed in at the end of the first half, and I didn't think he was ready to start the second half, but then when he subbed back in, he did a better job. We just have to get him ready each time when he subs in and try to keep him fresh and try to keep Jay Simpson fresh." Minute distribution was irrelevant considering the out-of-control score against Central Connecticut, but while Hammons played 17 minutes, Simpson, a redshirt freshman who started and played well in Hammons' absence, played 11. 2013-14 PURDUE BASKETBALL SCHEDULE Date Oct. 30 Nov. 4 Nov. 8 Nov. 13 Nov. 17 Nov. 20 Opponent INDIANAPOLIS (ex.) (BTND) WAYNE STATE (ex.) (BTND) NORTHERN KENTUCKY (ESPN3) CENTRAL CONNECTICUT (BTND) RIDER (BTN) EASTERN ILLINOIS (BTND) Time/Result W, 80-73 W, 91-58 W, 77-76 W,. 109-73 7 p.m. 7 p.m. Old Spice Classic Nov. 24 SIENA* (BTN) Nov. 28 vs. Oklahoma State^ (ESPN2) Nov. 29 vs. Butler/Wash State^ (ESPNU) Dec. 1 vs. TBA^ (ESPNU/2/3) Noon Noon TBA TBA Big Ten/ACC Challenge Dec. 4 BOSTON COLLEGE (ESPN2) 9 p.m. Dec. 7 EASTERN MICHIGAN (ESPN3) 2 p.m. ack from this three-game suspension, Crossroads Classic A.J. Hammons didn't waste any time Dec. 14 vs. Butler& (BTN) 6 p.m. proving his worth to the Boilermakers. REBOUNDING AN ISSUE Dec. 17 MARYLAND-EAST SHORE (ESPN3) 7 p.m. Just 19 seconds into the 109-73 win THUS FAR Dec. 22 at West Virginia (ESPNU) 1 p.m. over Central Connecticut State Wednesday, Prior to the Boilermakers outreboundDec. 31 OHIO STATE (ESPN2) 1 p.m. Jan. 5 at Minnesota (BTN) TBA the 7-footer swatted the first of his careering Central Connecticut State by 11 in the Jan. 12 NEBRASKA (BTN) TBA high seven blocked shots. second half, the boards were a sore spot for Jan. 15 at Illinois (BTN) 9 p.m. Jan. 18 PENN STATE (ESPNU) 7 p.m. "With the blocked shots, I think they Purdue through two exhibitions and Jan. 21 at Northwestern (BTN) 9 p.m. kind of fed off me," Hammons said. "I was the first regular season game, each of Jan. 25 WISCONSIN (BTN) 5 p.m. Jan. 30 at Michigan (ESPN2) 9 p.m. just trying to get my team hyped and ready them played, though, without HamFeb. 2 at Penn State (BTN) 11:30 since I owe it to them after everything that mons. a.m. Feb. 5 MINNESOTA (BTN) 8:30 p.m. happened (with the suspension)." Purdue was matched on the glass Feb. 8 at Ohio State (BTN) 6 p.m. Defensively, Purdue kept a highby the University of Indianapolis 43-43 in Feb. 15 INDIANA (ESPN2) 4 p.m. Feb. 20 MICHIGAN STATE (ESPN2) 7 p.m. scoring Blue Devil team to sub-35-perthe first exhibition before outrebounding Feb. 23 at Nebraska (TBA) TBA cent shooting, exhibiting better penWayne State by just four in the second. Feb. 26 MICHIGAN (BTN) 7 p.m. March 1 at Iowa (TBA) TBA etration defense than it had against Against Northern Kentucky, March 5 at Wisconsin (BTN) 9 p.m. Northern Kentucky in the opener. Purdue was again matched, 35-35, March 8 NORTHWESTERN (TBA) TBA March 13-16 Big Ten Tournament (Indianapolis) "I think it was really felt the first and allowed 17 offensive rebounds. * Old Spice Classic — West Lafayette couple plays," said guard Terone John^ Old Spice Classic — Orlando, Fla. "We have to communicate betson. "… Sending (drives) into A.J. was a ter and just embrace the physicality we got caught at times looking for the ball big thing. They were going in there, if " Tom Campbell of the game, said forward Errick Peck, they were out of control, he was play- A.J. Hammons made his season debut against Central Connecticut State who grabbed a team-high nine boards coming off the rim and not looking for a guy ing straight up. He wasn't reaching. and served as the game's dominant figure. against Northern Kentucky. "I thought to find to block out." j GoldanDBlack express • volume 24, express 10 • 38