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22 GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED quire Purdue to play well collectively defensively. That's certainly not a novel concept, but one that will test Pur- due's communication and chemistry, which players and coaches have raved about all throughout the season. "I think if you ask any of us what stood out in Spain," assistant coach Greg Gary said, "it would be their togeth- erness." The newly tailored scheme — again, if it sticks — might also be a way to leverage Haas' size instead of Hammons' natural shot-blocking ability. There's no greater wall in the Big Ten for Purdue to guide the ball toward than Haas and Purdue may not have as great a need for a rim-protector, per se, if opponents can't reach — or see — said rim. Additionally and probably more importantly, the help-oriented scheme would theoretically take some bur- den off wings like Vincent Edwards, Mathias and Cline to stop the dribble in space, and the same can certainly be said for Swanigan at the 4. For every matchup issue he created with his size last season, he faced such a difficul- ty when matched with smaller, quicker players. But Purdue isn't banking on scheme alone to get by on defense. It's going to need individual improvement across the board. Painter says he wants to see Vincent Edwards emerge as a more reliable defender in light of some of the daunt- ing matchups he'll again draw on the wing, the matchups that generally fell in Davis' lap the past two seasons. Basil Smotherman comes out of redshirt saying all the right things about wanting to be an impact defender. He certainly has the size, strength and athleticism to do it, but the devil might be in the details for him, in the effort, preparation and such things. "I can be one of the best defensive players on this team and in the league," Smotherman said in the spring. "Coach (Jack Owens) always comes in and says, 'Can he be like Ray? Can he be a defensive player-of-the-year?' I feel like I can. I have to put my mind to it and just do it." Haas hopes to help offset Hammons' loss by being more aware and assignment-sound than his former teammate. While Hammons erased a lot of mistakes, many of them were his mistakes to begin with. Positioning will be cru- cial for Haas, especially in ball-screen defense and par- ticularly because of the added importance of him staying out of foul problems this season. Swanigan has worked diligently throughout the off-season on improving defensively, the end of the floor that was the more difficult portion of his adjustment to playing forward instead of center last season. MORE FLEXIBILITY There's very little bright side to losing a talent like Hammons. Purdue may not miss some of the center's inconsistencies as a player and person, but his talent ab- solutely will be missed. How can it not be? He was one of the best big men in all of college basketball. But with Hammons gone, it represents a freedom of sorts for Purdue to play differently when need be. No longer will it be bound to having a 7-footer on the floor at all times. For every matchup advantage that creat- ed, it created a corresponding disadvantage. Haas will start at center and, on most nights, play as many minutes as his gigantic body can handle. But when he's out, Swanigan will move to the 5, offer- ing him different, and perhaps more favorable, offensive matchups, while allowing Purdue a more mobile defend- er without sacrificing a thing in the rebounding column. If not Swanigan, then Jacquil Taylor, who's Purdue's most mobile big man, its best-equipped to switch screens and its most athletic and longest shot-blocking presence. The trickle-down effect puts Vincent Edwards at the power forward position, where his guard skills make for a complicated matchup offensively and his athleticism makes Purdue a more agile defensive unit. Smotherman factors in here, too. His ability to play both forward positions, run the floor and, ideally, guard multiple spots fits nicely into Purdue's new model of be- ing able to play big or play small, to play in a plodding manner or to play faster than it did a season ago. When Vincent Edwards moves to the 4, that creates more situations where Mathias and Cline are playing to- gether — in effect, WD-40 for Purdue's offense because of the spacing they provide with their shooting, plus their sharp passing and decision-making — or Carsen Ed- wards complements a point guard, making for a quicker, faster, more explosive backcourt. j