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Gold and Black Illustrated, Vol 26, Digital 2

Gold and Black is a multi-platform media company that covers Purdue athletics like no one else.

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18 GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED posed to his standard free-flowing motion, in hopes of guaranteeing post touches. Look for even more of that this season, not that it makes all that much of a difference. Purdue's big men will get the ball, a lot. When they do, they will have to make better decisions. Turnovers have to be considered one of the Boilermakers' most-press- ing concerns. So much of the onus for remedying those worries will lie with the big men, simply because of their projected usage. Last season, Hammons and Haas combined to average nearly 3.9 turn- overs per 40 minutes, even with Hammons drastically cutting down on his giveaways during the sea- son's final stretch. The two centers combined for nearly a third of Pur- due's Big Ten-leading 444 turnovers. Haas averaged 4.4 per 40 min- utes, a number he knows he has to cut drastically. "You just need to be smart and aware of your surroundings," Haas said, "and make sure you're not put- ting the ball down when you might have two or three people around you. … You have to be strong with the ball to keep from turning it over." Painter coveted Swanigan's pass- ing and decision-making ability, but the rookie, too, will have to be re- sponsible with the ball in a new role. Turnovers are a huge concern for a huge front line, but that bad should come with a whole bunch of good. Offensively, Hammons, Haas and Swanigan should all be highly productive, efficient, high-percent- age-shooting scoring threats. They should, at the risk of overstatement, live at the foul line, where Hammons and particularly Haas want to be sig- nificantly better. Their presences should com- mand extra attention on the interi- or, enough to theoretically generate Tom Campbell Kendall Stephens' career at Purdue is half over, yet his up-side potential remains considerable. A big season from him can help fill the Boilermakers' need for improved shooting.

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