Gold and Black is a multi-platform media company that covers Purdue athletics like no one else.
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/895033
GOLD AND BLACK ILLUSTRATED VOLUME 28, ISSUE 2 18 Who Is Purdue's Most Important Player? Brian Neubert While I could make an ironclad case for Dakota Mathias, I have to go here with Vincent Edwards, who's set up for a first-team All-Big Ten sort of season. From his first day on campus, Edwards has shown all the makings of the cliché that is the "go-to guy." He's just never had the chance. He's been a prolific producer, but always as the wing man to Purdue's outstanding big men. Now, the show is his. Purdue will be balanced offensively, for sure, but Edwards will be the focal points, with his usage due to explode. His scoring — scoring that will came every which way — should spike, as should his overall influence on games. And, Purdue faces rebounding questions for the first time in years and Edwards looms large there, too. Stacy Clardie Though one could argue Dakota Mathias isn't Purdue's most athletically talented player, there's little doubt here he's the team's most important one. Few offer the versatility of skill set the senior captain possesses, whether it be his ability to stick shots from all distances and balances — that NCAA one at the halftime buzzer against Iowa State still boggles me — or his savvy to seemingly always make the right decision to facilitate the best shot on offense or his to-a-fault willingess to feed teammates for buckets or his, at times, ornery-ness that produces hustle plays or, of course, his recent you-can't-score-on-me defensive developments. Whatever Purdue needs, Mathias can — and will — give. Take him off the floor, and it impacts every element of the game: That is the definition of value. 5 Approach: Purdue lost games last season it shouldn't have and it could easily have cost the Boilermak- ers a Big Ten title. As reigning champs, it must now be wary of such letdowns, be- cause Purdue will again be a favorite in the league, a ranked team and a big win for every team that beats it this season. 4 Decision-mak- ing: Purdue's been strong in this regard lately, but dynamics change so now. Isaac Haas is now the Boilermakers' go-to player in the post and Vin- cent Edwards' usage will increase and his turnovers must not. The Boilermakers intend to play faster, as well, but must not be too free-wheeling. 3 Depth: Purdue has an experienced seven- or eight- man core of returnees, but not the depth of known commod- ities it had the past two seasons. Freshmen Nojel Eastern and Matt Haarms, in partic- ular, will need to play key roles. 2 Rebound: Purdue can't replace Caleb Swanigan and it can't prove to have been conditioned by his presence to not chase the ball when there's a ball to be chased. Purdue's veterans up front will need to have their best seasons as rebounders, but so will the guards. Rebounding cost Purdue a gold medal at the World University Games, so maybe that was an important lesson. 1 Leadership: Purdue's as experienced a team as you'll find and needs to benefit from it. Leadership should be a strength, but its seniors are a rela- tively mild-mannered group and Swanigan's cut-throat nature might be missed. Who's the tone-setter now? — Brian Neubert Keys To The Season T O P Photos by Charles Jischke (Painter); Tom Campbell (Edwards, Haas, Thompson); Brian Neubert (Haarms)