GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 20 • 14
Kendall Stephens 21
G • 6-6 • So.
Maybe the lid is coming off.
Stephens made two important
threes during Purdue's come-
back at Minnesota, a rarely
seen lately flash of his ability to
change games as a shooter. He
has not been right since Illinois.
He is Purdue's best post-entry passer and a better
rebounder than you'd think right now, but the
Boilermakers need him to start clicking from long
distance.
Isaac Haas 44
C • 7-2 • Fr.
It was not a good week for Haas,
as he totaled 0-of-5 shooting with
five turnovers in the two games
this week, including a scoreless,
four-turnover seven minutes at
Minnesota. He's drawing crowds
and contact, so the offensive end
has been a challenge. But if he just rebounds and
impacts games with his presence, he can help the
Boilermakers profoundly even when the offense
isn't there. Hammons is playing so well right now
that it's very clear Purdue will go as far as the ju-
nior can take it.
P.J. Thompson 3
G • 5-10 • Fr.
The freshman fell out of the rota-
tion for a pair of games before
getting called upon to try to stop
the bleeding in the second half
against Minnesota. There were
mixed results there, but Thomp-
son did can the three-pointer that
got the ball rolling for Purdue with nine-and-a-half
minutes left. It remains to be seen where Thomp-
son fits in from here on out, but he has shot the
ball better in limited opportunities lately.
Basil Smotherman 5
F • 6-6 • So.
The sophomore started against
Minnesota but only because
of Edwards' situation as the 4
remains a clear 1-2 hierarchy,
with Edwards clearly ahead. But
Smotherman has helped Purdue
lately with his energy, part of that
leading to transition offense for Purdue. That's so
important for this group to generate easy offense
it doesn't have to work as hard to get as it would
playing halfcourt offense.
Bryson Scott 1
G • 6-1 • So.
Since starring against Indiana,
Scott has played in the regular
rotation the past two games, but
has been mostly a non-factor,
playing very non-descript. Some-
times that's not such a bad thing
for a point guard if things are
operating smoothly, but judging by his dread-
ful plus/minus against Ohio State — the whole
bench was bad — and the fact that Minnesota's
deluge only worsened when he came in, it's not
one of those cases.
Jon Octeus 0
G • 6-4 • Sr.
The senior point guard
has picked up his efficient
scoring again, averaging
15.5 points on 63-percent
shooting the past two
games. But what Purdue
needed at Minnesota was
a steady, calming influence
at the point guard position and it didn't get it
… from anyone. That second-half meltdown
was epic. Octeus did back into a couple of
banked-in threes, but did splash a pair of oth-
ers cleanly to give the Boilermakers a chance
at the very end. He didn't have a great game
at Minnesota despite a team-high 17 points,
but still, his value can't be overstated.
Dakota Mathias 31
G • 6-4 • Fr.
The freshman's gotten
better. He really gives the
offense a boost with his
passing and decision-mak-
ing and his defense has
come a long way in a short
period of time. But the big
piece missing is an obvi-
ous one: Shooting. He made two big threes
against Ohio State, then his first one against
Minnesota, but just when you thought he
was warming up, he missed his next four. It'll
come. Probably.
A.J. Hammons 20
C • 7-0 • Jr.
The big man has been
outstanding lately, in so
many ways. Aside from
getting scored on one-on-
one a couple times by Mo
Walker in the post at Min-
nesota, Hammons' play
has virtually been beyond
reproach. The energy he's playing with is
pretty distinct and he's been consistently
good now for virtually the entire Big Ten
season. Purdue can't ask a whole lot more
from him right now.
Rapheal Davis 35
F • 6-5 • Jr.
As Davis has been good, so
has Purdue. But he wasn't
at Minnesota, missing all
three of his shots and turn-
ing the ball over clumsily
a few times as part of the
Gophers' game-turning
run. His defensive assign-
ment, Andre Hollins, got loose for 18 points.
It was a start contrast from Ohio State, when
Davis scored a game-high-tying 20 points
on 6-of-10 shooting while helping hold
20-a-game scorer D'Angelo Russell to 6-of-18.
Minnesota was a blip on an otherwise all-
conference season so far.
Vince Edwards 12
F • 6-7 • Fr.
The rookie didn't start at
Minnesota after being a
minute late for a film ses-
sion — think Matt Painter
might be hell-bent against
complacency? — but
made his presence felt
quickly at Minnesota, scor-
ing 12 points on 5-of-9 shooting. He made
threes and was really aggressive attacking
the rim and really solid passing out of the
middle of Minnesota's zone. Against Ohio
State, he was too eager early against a team
he couldn't wait to play.
Gold and Black's Men's Hoops Lineup
The
Starters
The
Reserves
The
Deep
Bench
Jacquil Taylor 23
F • 6-10 • Fr.
Neal Beshears 30
F • 6-7 • Sr.
Anfernee Brown 24
G • 6-1 • So.
Jon McKeeman 2
G • 6-1 • Jr.
Stephen Toyra 11
G • 6-3 • Jr.
–Brian Neubert
For
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