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GoldanDBlack express • volume 24, express 28 • 9 BY BRIAN NEUBERT AND STACY CLARDIE After at least considering a jump to the NBA, Boilermaker center A.J. Hammons decided to return to Purdue for his junior season. Hammons announced his decision April 16, roughly two weeks before the NBA's deadline for early entries, a reflection that maybe there wasn't all that much of a decision for the 7-footer to actually make. Hammons was widely pro- jected, both publicly and pri- vately, as a mid- or late-second round pick or undrafted player in advance of this June's draft. Coach Matt Painter called it the "right move" for Hammons. And it's an important one for Purdue, which will need much from its center in his third year in the pro- gram, at both ends of the floor. Hammons has been a fo- cal point on offense for Purdue, as well as one of the Big Ten's most menacing shot- blockers and effec- tive rebounders, though consisten- cy in all areas has not yet been totally grasped. Hammons av- eraged 10.8 points and 7.4 rebounds as a sophomore last season. The Big Ten All-Defensive team pick also blocked 96 shots. He'll project to be one of the top big men in the Big Ten, if not college basketball if he im- proves significantly. Painter said following the Big Ten Tournament in March that Ham- mons' improve- ment would also lie in "Purdue winning," which it hasn't done much of, by its stan- dards, the past two seasons. H a m m o n s hopes to experi- ence more team success before he leaves, whether it's next spring or the one after. "Purdue is a special place with a lot of great people and I'm excited to continue my edu- cation here and be a part of a great community," Ham- mons said in a statement released by Purdue the day of his announced return. PURDUE DRAWS N.C. STATE The Boilermak- ers will look to ex- tend their Big Ten/ ACC Challenge winning streak to six games against North Carolina State, the recently announced matchup for 2014-15. Purdue is 7-6 all time in the event, but it's strung together five consecutive victories by an average margin of 11.6 points. Last season's 88-67 drubbing of Boston College was one of Pur- due's largest margins of victory all season. During the streak, the Boiler- makers also beat Clemons, Miami, Virginia Tech and Wake Forest. They'll play the Wolfpack on Dec. 2, 2014. N.C. State was 22-14 and qualified for the NCAA Tourna- ment last season. It returns three starters from that team, which lost ACC Player-of-the-Year T.J. Warren. B1G TOURNEY ON THE MOVE After holding the Big Ten men's basketball tournament in Chicago or Indianapolis for the first 17 seasons, the conference opted to expand its reach. In 2017, Washington D.C. will host the tournament, held at the Verizon Center. Since the addition of Mary- land and Rutgers, the league A Big Boost Tom Campbell A.J. Hammons' return to Purdue gives the Boilermakers back their most influential player at both ends of the floor. vertime m e n ' s ba s k e t ba l l : n e w s a n d n ot e s