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GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 11 • 42 ball and they help me by doing the same. … It's kind of a win-win situ- ation right there." STEPHENS PLAYING VERY WELL EARLY Two games in, sophomore Kendall Stephens couldn't have asked for a much better beginning to what he hopes will be a big year. Stephens is 9-of-13 from three- point range, pacing a Boilermaker team that's shot 45 percent from long distance to this point. Against IUPUI, Stephens' 24 points and six made threes were both highs for his still-young career. Shot selection has been an emphasis. So far, so good. "He's averaging one bad shot a game. If he can get that down, that'd be great," Coach Matt Paint - er said. "I thought he took a bad one to start the Samford game and every shot after that was re- ally good. I thought he took a bad one in our corner (vs. IUPUI); he never got square. "Any time you deal with a guy who can shoot and score a little bit, I don't think that's a bad num- ber. When he gets his feet under- neath him, you're shocked when he misses." Purdue, collectively, is gener- ating better perimeter looks than it might have a year ago. "The patience and the ball move- ment are going to lead to better shots," Painter said. Those shots, though, have come easy so far. They won't always. "We've just been moving the ball one or two times, maybe three, and there's been a great shot," Ed - wards said. "Great teams will make us work more, work the whole shot clock. "If we keep moving the ball and moving with- out the ball we'll be fine." FREE THROWS PROBLEMATIC AGAIN As hot as Purdue's been shoot- ing from the arc, it's been equally mediocre at the stripe. Through two games, the Boil- ermakers are shooting just 61 per- cent at the foul line, with Hammons — a 70ish-percent shooter last season and the Boilermaker who's obviously going to get fouled the most now — just 3-of-8 thus far. Against IUPUI, Hammons and fellow center Isaac Haas were each 2-of-6. Haas is 9-of-15 through two games. NO REDSHIRTS Freshman forward Jacquil Tay- lor, the most logical consideration of Purdue's freshmen to be a can- didate to redshirt, will play this sea- son, Painter deciding to use him in the event it should need a third big man to go along with Hammons and Haas. Taylor, 6-foot-10, played in both games thus far, averaging eight minutes per outing. In those 16 total minutes, he's been productive, with seven points, five rebounds and two blocked shots, albeit largely in mop-up work at the end of blowouts. BESHEARS SIDELINED Senior forward and team co- captain Neal Beshears broke his hand in practice last week and will be sidelined for multiple weeks. Beshears averaged 2.3 min- utes in 26 appearances last season. He likely would have seen min- utes at the end of Purdue's first two games. Tom Campbell Jacquil Taylor won't redshirt, despite being the most likely candi- date among Purdue's freshmen. Coach Matt Painter wants Taylor ready in case Purdue needs a third big man. Tom Campbell Senior forward and captain Neal Beshears broke his hand in practice last week and will be side- lined for several weeks.