GoldanDBlack express • volume 24, express 23 • 8
Travis Carroll 50
C • 6-9 • Sr.
With Jay Simpson sidelined
by the not-yet-diagnosed
condition (if it's even that)
that caused him to collapse
at Nebraska, Carroll's moved
up to being Hammons'
backup at center, though Purdue's as
likely to play small than to play extended
stretches with No. 50 at the 5. Thing about
Carroll is, when he's in the game, he's
always productive on the boards, but his
limitations are typically quickly exploited.
Errick Peck 32
F • 6-6 • Sr. (5)
This season hasn't gone as
planned for Peck, either,
as the fifth-year transfer
hoped for more in his one
season at Purdue. For one
reason or another, it hasn't
worked out, at least not consistently. But
he's shown flashes, one of them coming
at Iowa, where he made 5-of-6 shots and
chipped in 12 points and five boards in
18 minutes. Purdue would have had no
chance without him, especially consider-
ing his increased role at the 5 with the
Boilermakers down a center.
Bryson Scott 12
G • 6-1 • Fr.
The freshman will learn
from these past two games.
He has no choice. There's
no going back, after twice
in as many games, he's
committed turnovers and
taken ill-advised shots that have directly
led to second-half runs for opponents
who've gone on to erase deficits and dash
Purdue's hopes for upset victories. Scott
seems to get it, but understanding and
application can be two different things for
young players, particularly ones as emo-
tionally driven as Scott.
Basil Smotherman 5
F• 6-5 • Fr.
It's been a long season, one
that maybe has taken a toll
on the energy the freshman
so distinctly played with ear-
lier this season. Remember
all those tip-ins from earlier
in the year? Haven't seen one — or any-
thing like it — in a while. Of course, playing
against Big Ten opponents and seeing a
good deal of minutes at the 4 now go-
ing to Davis have certainly impacted his
productivity. Smotherman has to pick his
moments wisely on offense, especially as it
pertains to his jump shot.
Rapheal Davis 35
G • 6-5 • So.
As Purdue has played bet-
ter the past two games,
with very little to show for
it, no one has stepped up
his game more than the
sophomore swingman,
who's been starting as the
Boilermakers' 4, as he did much of last sea-
son. Davis was outspoken about Purdue's
problems after the Nebraska loss in Lincoln
and has backed up his words with his play,
with 10 points and 10 rebounds against
Michigan and a team-high 18 points at
Iowa. He's scored in double figures in four
of the past six games after doing so just
once in 23 games prior.
A.J. Hammons 20
C • 7-0 • So.
The sophomore big man's
effort and attention to
detail have seemingly
been where they need to
be the past two games, but
foul trouble again caught
up with him vs. Michigan,
as he fouled out with two minutes left in
regulation, dealing Purdue a significant
blow. The Boilermakers could have used
him at the rim in overtime as the Wolver-
ines scored all their points around the
basket. At Iowa, a portion of his 16-point,
14-rebound, four-block showing came
after he rolled his ankle. He played through
it, exhibiting some toughness and relent-
lessness on the glass.
Ronnie Johnson 3
G • 6-0 • So.
It couldn't have been more
of a dramatic swing from
one game to the next
for Johnson, who looked
like an All-Big Ten player
against Michigan in scor-
ing 21 points and handing
out seven assists — though some untimely
turnovers bit him — then reverted to giv-
ing it away seven times against Iowa, as
turnovers simply took the Boilermakers out
of the game. He's averaged five turnovers
per game in his past three outings. When
the sophomore is good, he's very good, but
he has to achieve consistency.
Kendall Stephens 21
G • 6-6 • Fr.
Improving seemingly with
every game, the freshman's
been a real weapon for
Purdue, cracking double-
digit scoring in five of the
past seven games and
showing more than just
his three-point shooting at Iowa, where
he made long two-point jumpers and
an uncharacteristic-to-this-point driving,
wrap-around bucket. He's been automatic
at the foul line, but missed a one-and-one
in the final 15 seconds of overtime vs.
Michigan that could have changed the
game's outcome. Afterward, he spent
about two hours on Cardinal Court shoot-
ing about 300 free throws. He wants to be
good. And he will be.
Terone Johnson 0
G • 6-2 • Sr.
The senior's last chance
for a landmark win in
Mackey Arena came and
went against Michigan,
but not without the guard
doing everything in his
power. He made his first
four three-pointers and all four of his free
throws in scoring a season-high 22 points
against the Wolverines, while also doing
a really nice job defensively on Nik Staus-
kas. At Iowa, he started slow but finished
strong, totaling 11 points on 5-of-9 shoot-
ing, with five rebounds and five assists. This
season has not been what he hoped for in
his last year, but at least he's playing well to
finish it out.
Gold and Black's Men's Hoops Lineup
The
Starters
The
Reserves
The
Deep
Bench
Neal Beshears
30
F • 6-7 • Jr.
Anfernee Brown
24
G • 6-1 • Fr.
Jon McKeeman
2
G • 6-1 • So.
Stephen Toyra
11
G • 6-3 • So.
Link
to
purdue's
2013-14
season
stats
— Brian Neubert
Sterling Carter 1
G • 6-0 • Sr. (5)
Jay Simpson 23
C • 6-10 • R-Fr.
The Shelf
