Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/432140
GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 14 • 17 BY STACY CLARDIE SClardie@GoldandBlack.com T hough Matt Painter insists it doesn't matter who starts, he's often used that decision as a motivating and message-sending tool during his coaching career. He did it again this week. After starting the same lineup for the first eight games, Painter switched it up against IPFW on Monday. Then tweaked it again Wednesday. One move was a reward, another a seeming demo- tion. Freshman center Isaac Haas replaced junior A.J. Hammons because Haas "deserved it," Painter said Mon- day, citing Haas' better production early in the season. The other move, inserting freshman guard P.J. Thomp- son into the first group Monday and then Dakota Math- ias on Wednesday, served more to send a message to sophomore Kendall Stephens. Painter had questioned Stephens' decision-making of late. Ultimately, it meant three true freshmen were in the starting lineup Monday for the first time this season and first time since Painter had Bryson Scott, Basil Smotherman and Stephens in together on Dec. 7, 2013. Mathias' insertion into the lineup for Purdue's second game of the week on Wednesday against Arkansas State meant that a third true freshman had gotten his first career start this week. In his starts, Haas had 16 points on 5-of-12 shooting, 10 rebounds and three blocks. "Some of my family was there to see me start (Monday), so it was a pretty special moment," Haas said. Haas started slowly in his first one, missing his first three shots because his hands were cold, he said. But he finished strong, making his last three and contributing 10 points, five rebounds and a block in 18 minutes. Against Arkansas State, he played 18 minutes and basically watched as Purdue's shooters, especially Stephens, go crazy in the first half. Stephens was removed from the starting lineup after 4-of-18 shooting the previous two games, including 3 of 10 on threes. But it wasn't simply missed shots that concerned M E N ' S BA S K E T BA L L : N E W S A N D N OT E S vertime Tom Campbell Isaac Haas was one of three freshmen who got a first career start this week. His came Monday against IPFW, overtaking A.J. Hammons because he "deserved it," according to Matt Painter, and he stayed in the lineup on Wednesday. 2014-15 PURDUE MEN'S BASKETBALL SCHEDULE Date Opponent Time/Result Nov. 2 CALIFORNIA (Pa.) (BTN Plus) W, 89-52 Nov. 7 CARROLL (BTN Plus) W, 90-49 Nov. 14 SAMFORD (BTN Plus) W, 80-40 Nov. 16 IUPUI (BTN) W, 77-57 Nov. 20 GRAMBLING (BTN Plus) W, 82-30 Maui Invitational - Lahaina, Hawaii Nov. 24 vs. Kansas State (ESPN2) L, 79-88 Nov. 25 vs. Missouri W, 82-61 Nov. 26 vs. BYU (ESPN2) W, 87-85 (OT) Big Ten/ACC Challenge - West Lafayette Dec. 2 NC STATE (ESPNU) W, 66-61 Dec. 6 NORTH FLORIDA (BTN Plus) L, 70-73 Dec. 8 IPFW (ESPNU) W, 63-43 Dec. 10 ARKANSAS STATE (ESPNU) W, 87-46 Dec. 13 at Vanderbilt (SEC Network) 9 p.m. Crossroads Classic - Indianapolis Dec. 20 vs. Notre Dame (BTN) 5:15 p.m. Dec. 22 GARDNER-WEBB (BTN Plus) 6 p.m. Dec. 31 MINNESOTA (BTN) 3:15 p.m. Jan. 3 MICHIGAN (BTN) 2:15 p.m. Jan. 7 at Wisconsin (BTN) 7 p.m. Jan. 10 MARYLAND (BTN) 2:30 p.m. Jan. 17 at Penn State 1 p.m. Jan. 21 at Illinois (BTN) 9 p.m. Jan. 24 IOWA (BTN) Noon Jan. 28 INDIANA (BTN) 9 p.m. Jan. 31 at Northwestern (ESPNU) 6 p.m. Feb. 4 OHIO STATE (BTN) 6:30 p.m. Feb. 7 at Minnesota (BTN) 3 p.m. Feb. 12 at Rutgers(ESPNU) 7 p.m. Feb. 15 NEBRASKA (BTN) 5:15 p.m. Feb. 19 at Indiana (ESPN/ESPN2) 7 p.m. Feb. 26 RUTGERS (ESPNU) 9 p.m. March 1 at Ohio State (CBS/BTN) TBA March 4 at Michigan State (BTN) 8 p.m. March 7 ILLINOIS (BTN) 4:30 p.m. March 11-15 Big Ten Tournament (Chicago) Three Freshmen Start For Season Stats Click Here