GOLDANDBLACK EXPRESS • VOLUME 25, EXPRESS 21 • 8
Kendall Stephens 21
G • 6-6 • So.
For the first time in a while,
Stephens starred in a Purdue
win, putting a long-awaited
central-role type performance
against Nebraska in making four
threes on seven tries. As with
Mathias, it's seemed like a matter
of time for Stephens based on his track record and
obvious ability. He obviously needs confidence
and maybe this game was just what the doctor
ordered.
Isaac Haas 44
C • 7-2 • Fr.
The freshman has taken a sup-
porting role to Hammons through
this Big Ten season more because
of how well the upperclassman
has played than anything else.
Haas isn't impacting games the
way he did earlier in the season,
in part because the level of play is better in the Big
Ten and in part because he's now been thoroughly
scouted. He'll get better as time goes on, but lately,
he's not been terribly efficient with the ball in his
hands around the basket and that's not like him.
As impactful as he's been this season, there's still so
much room for improvement.
P.J. Thompson 3
G • 5-10 • Fr.
Thompson's getting the bulk of
Purdue's backup minutes at point
guard again while also seeing
minutes at the other backcourt
position. Same deal as always:
Purdue trusts Thompson to run
the offense, take care of the bas-
ketball and play a role. Those freaking out about
Thompson not being the most talented player on
the team should probably learn to accept it, be-
cause coaches play players they trust and Purdue
trusts Thompson.
Basil Smotherman 5
F • 6-6 • So.
Here are the plays Smotherman
needs to make to really help
Purdue: At Rutgers, he jumped
a passing lane for a steal and
breakaway dunk, then against
Nebraska he chased his own
missed shot toward the baseline,
then saved to Kendall Stephens for a three. For the
millionth time in this space: When Smotherman
hustles and plays with energy, he can really help
Purdue and that's played out over and over again.
The statistic he should look at before all others
after games is rebounding. On offense, every shot
he takes should be the highest-percentage shot
possible.
Bryson Scott 1
G • 6-1 • So.
After breaking out in Round 1
against Indiana, the sophomore
guard has fallen back into no
man's land, with two straight
DNPs against Rutgers and Ne-
braska. He said after the IU game
that he now understands better
what he needs to do to remain in his coaches'
good graces. Well, now would be a good time for
him to put that knowledge to use. If things remain
as they are, there's no telling what Scott's future
at Purdue holds. A potential turning point came
and went.
Jon Octeus 0
G • 6-4 • Sr.
You won't find many
guards in all of college
basketball who've been as
productive as rebounders
as the Boilermaker senior
has been. He's grabbed
four or more rebounds in
all but one of Purdue's Big
Ten games this season, with five games or
seven or more. Productivity from unexpected
sources is always valuable and has been with
Octeus on the glass. He has not been scoring
like he was earlier in the Big Ten season and is
coming off an uncharacteristic 1-of-7 shoot-
ing game, but he's turned the ball over just
once the past two games. Hard to find fault
in his decision-making this season and that
might be the most important piece of the
puzzle for Purdue at point guard.
Dakota Mathias 31
G • 6-4 • Fr.
Maybe this was the day
Mathias has been waiting
for. For weeks, he's be-
lieved himself to be "close"
to that breakout game.
Against Nebraska he
made all three of his shots,
including two second-half
threes, before an irrelevant end-of-shot clock
chuck in the final minute. The freshman's
"floor game," or whatever you want to call
it, has been very solid this season and his
defense has come a long way, but the shots
haven't been falling. Maybe Nebraska was a
turning point for a player who almost makes
more shots than anybody on this team.
A.J. Hammons 20
C • 7-0 • Jr.
Opponents can take Ham-
mons away, like Nebraska
did, selling out to keep the
ball out of the post. But
they can't take away his
ability to impact games
defensively and on the
glass, where he pulled
down another 12 boards against the Corn-
huskers. Against Rutgers, he scored 17 points,
with seven rebounds and four blocks on the
road and was the best player on the floor
with no close second. Hammons probably
won't be named first-team All-Big Ten, but
he's played most of this conference season
like a guy who should be.
Rapheal Davis 35
F • 6-5 • Jr.
Purdue's juniors have been
great stories this season, as
Davis and Hammons both
stuck it out after losing a
lot of games their first two
seasons. Both have come
a long way as individuals
and that's gone a long
way toward making the Boilermakers the
team they are right now. Davis has been the
epitome of whatever-the-team-needs. Some-
times it's scoring, sometimes it's passing or
rebounding, sometimes it's foul shooting or
three-point shooting. But it's always defense
and he's one of the best in the Big Ten at it.
Vince Edwards 12
F • 6-7 • Fr.
The freshman was terrific
against Nebraska, not just
in scoring a team-high
15 points but in the way
he impacted the game,
whether it was in making
hustle plays on defense;
really hurting Nebraska on
the offensive glass; beating the Cornhuskers'
desperate second-half pressure off the drib-
ble; or passing. He's 5-of-10 from three-point
range in the past three games, also.
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
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