Gold and Black's Men's Hoops Lineup
The
Starters
A.J. Hammons 20
C • 7-0 • Fr.
The disparity between
Hammons when he's
engaged and Hammons
when he's disengaged is
as vast as the 7-footer's
wingspan. Against Minnesota, he was the former,
playing brilliantly when Purdue needed
him to, with Sandi Marcius hobbled. He
was 6-of-6 from the floor, with 14 points,
six boards and three blocks in just 22 minutes. But against Michigan, he was disengaged, going 1-for-6 in 18 minutes. Such
a roller coaster it's been. Consistency can
make him great, but put aside the turbulence for a moment and remember, he's a
freshman who just finished up an All-Big
Ten-freshman team caliber season.
Terone Johnson 0
G • 6-2 • Jr.
The past few games,
Johnson's played himself
onto some All-Big Ten
ballots, closing the season
on a surge that had him
scoring a career-high
32 points against Michigan, the most by a Purdue player since
E'Twaun Moore put 38 on Ohio State in
2011. Though it wasn't quite enough to
get past the Wolverines, it was a flat-out
show. Johnson isn't forcing jumpers, and
it's reflected in how well he's shot the ball
lately from the perimeter, making 5-of-11
the past two games and pushing his season mark to a respectable 36 percent.
Ronnie Johnson 3
G • 5-10 • Fr.
As Purdue's figured things
out collectively, the freshman point guard has
done his part. Statistics
don't tell the entire tale
of how the poise and
good — or at least better — sense he's shown on the floor lately
but they tell at least part of the story. He's
handed out five or more assists in each
of the past four games, though Purdue's
improved ball movement from positions
1 through 5 lately has spread facilitating duties out. Johnson went just 1-of-8
shooting against Michigan, but finished
with seven assists to just one turnover,
helping position Purdue to almost beat
the Wolverines.
D.J. Byrd 21
F • 6-4 • Sr.
It's been a rough season
for Byrd, whose senior
year has been an up-anddown one that almost
certainly won't end in
the NCAA Tournament.
But he'll at least leave
knowing he might have been part of the
turnaround and at least having starred
on senior day, as he poured in 18 points
against Minnesota in what might not
have been his final game in Mackey Arena
after all. Chances are, he'll play at least one
more game at home, as the NIT or College Basketball Invitational could assign
Purdue to play in West Lafayette.
Rapheal Davis 35
G/F • 6-5 • Fr.
What a remarkable finish
it's been for Davis, one of
the key figures in Purdue
reversing its fortunes, even
just slightly, at the end of
the season. His enthusiasm
and positive energy have
been right there with Marcius' as gamechangers for the Boilermakers here in the
past few weeks, but have been just part of
his value. Operating out of the 4 position,
he's been an offensive catalyst as well, attacking off the dribble and in transition.
All-Big Ten forward Trevor Mbakwe, mismatched on Davis, got abused by the freshman, who made 6-of-8 shots for 18 points,
with four assists, a game after scoring 15 and
grabbing nine rebounds against Michigan.
The
Reserves
Sandi Marcius 55
C • 6-9 • Jr.
Playing at a surreal level
lately simply by playing
hard and with enthusiasm,
Marcius was side-tracked
slightly after he hurt his
ankle against Michigan, a
personnel loss that might very well have
cost the Boilermakers a major upset win.
Marcius scored Purdue's first nine points
of that game and finished with 13. Even
on a bad ankle, he gutted out 14 minutes
against Minnesota and did some good
things. Purdue needs him healthy to make
a run in the Big Ten Tournament. Here's
hoping for Purdue's sake that the big man
opts to return next season for his fifth year.
Donnie Hale 15
F • 6-8 • R-Fr.
Hale's really shown improvement through the
course of the season, but
has gotten lost in the
shuffle a bit lately as Davis
has played so well and occupied most of the minutes at the power
forward spot. Purdue tried this season to
play with lineups of more traditional size,
but having Davis on the floor has often
paid significant dividends on offense without sacrificing any rebounding, because
he's been so productive. But again, Hale
consistent improvement indicates he will
be a valuable contributor sometime soon.
Anthony Johnson 1
G • 6-3 • So.
It's been a rough regular
season for the sophomore
that finished out on a
relatively high note, as the
backup came up with some
important points, finishing
with nine, against Minnesota to help hold
off the Gophers. When he's not going oneon-one too much and trying to force things,
he can be effective, but moments like Minnesota have been few and far between this
year. In the two games prior to Minnesota,
he played just 10 minutes total. Purdue will
have more options at the guard positions
next season, so it will be interesting to see
where the upperclassman-to-be fits in.
Travis Carroll 50
C • 6-9 • Jr.
There's very little new to
say about Carroll, who is
Purdue's third center right
now, good for spot minutes
in which he'll play hard and
be reliable. Nothing all that
exciting, but nothing to dismiss either. He's
now played a total of 11 minutes the past
three games, with no change to that in
sight considering Hammons' importance
and Marcius' play of late.
Jacob Lawson 34
F • 6-8 • So.
Lawson is a total non-factor
right now. Even in a game
Purdue won by 16 over
Minnesota and cleared its
bench at the end, the sophomore never left his seat.
Effort concerns in the eyes of his coaches,
a lack of productivity in the chances he
has gotten and offensive limitations have
put him in this position. One must wonder
what his future holds at Purdue.
The
Deep
Bench
Jay Simpson* 32
F • 6-8 • Fr.
Dru Anthrop 14
G • 6-0 • Sr.
Neal Beshears 30
F • 6-6 • So.
Stephen Toyra 11
G • 6-3 • Fr.
* Simpson is sitting out the rest of the
season while recovering from a foot problem that plagued him through the first 10
games of the season. He'll pursue a medical redshirt.
— Brian Neubert
GoldanDBlack express • volume 23, express 25 • 20
