Brunt: Five things to watch, Purdue vs. CCSU
By CLIFF BRUNT
ISL Editor
Here are five things to look for as Purdue hosts Central Connecticut State on Wednesday night:
1. What will Purdue get out of A.J. Hammons?
The Boilermakers have their most talented player back after the 7-foot center served a three-game suspension — two exhibition games and one regular-season game — for violating team rules.
Because Jay Simpson had 14 points and six rebounds and Errick Peck was pretty effective inside in the opener with 11 points and nine rebounds, I’m not so sure Purdue coach Matt Painter won’t cut Hammons’ workload to further strengthen the message that his star needs to get focused. Painter has a track record of putting the team ahead of individuals. Remember, Painter is the same coach who showed a very talented Kelsey Barlow the door right before the NCAA Tournament two years ago. He does not care how talented you are, you will fall in line.
Remember, Hammons had that monster 30-point game last year against Indiana, then didn’t start the next game because he was late for the team bus. He was in and out of the lineup late in the season, in part, because of a lack of focus. It’s easy to tell when listening to Painter talk about Hammons that he’s getting frustrated. He may go further this time to drive his point home.
If Hammons starts and plays his usual minutes, it will be because his actions since the suspension gave Painter an indication that he understands what’s going on. If not, Hammons’ issues might bear continual watching, for Painter and for NBA scouts.
This potentially is the start of a special season for Hammons. He has NBA lottery potential. With size, strength and good agility for his size, he is a rare player — a true big — in this day and age. His presence alone changes the other team’s game plan entirely, similarly to how Roy Hibbert of the Pacers affects opponents. If Hammons is tuned in, Purdue improves several notches as soon as he steps on the floor.
2. What will change after the close call vs. Northern Kentucky?
Painter made it clear in the preseason that many of the positions were up for grabs, and that likely didn’t change after the shaky season-opening performance.
Kendall Stephens was the only freshman out of the strong recruiting class to get a starting nod. Painter was high on freshmen Basil Smotherman and Bryson Scott coming into the season and said both were in contention for starting jobs.
Painter has been known to make significant changes in lineups to find chemistry, especially early on. To give an indication of how things can change under Painter, remember the starting lineup heading into last year’s season opener against Bucknell? It was D.J. Byrd, Sandi Marcius, Anthony Johnson, Donnie Hale and Ronnie Johnson. Three of those guys could have been here this season and aren’t, for various reasons. No spot is clearly safe.
3. Is Ronnie Johnson clearly the guy at point guard?
Johnson seemed to establish control of the competition with Bryson Scott in the opener with 18 points and five assists. One thing to look at, though, is his four turnovers, an area Painter has often voiced concern about. It’s not clear if Scott would be any better in that department because he’s not a traditional point guard, but regardless, that particular stat bears watching tonight. Scott did not turn the ball over in 11 minutes in the opener. Also, consider the fact that Painter talked an awful lot about winning in the preseason when describing the competition between the two, and though Johnson put up numbers, the opener was awfully close.
4. Will the defense improve?
Allowing an opponent to shoot 55 percent in the second half will never go over well with Painter. Allowing 76 points won’t either. Purdue basketball has been about toughness and the willingness to put team above self. When there are that many defensive breakdowns against a lesser team, it implies that the players don’t quite get it yet. Changes made tonight could address defensive problems more than anything since the offense was relatively solid and Purdue’s foundation has always been its defense.
5. Are the Boilermakers mentally tough?
Remember, Purdue had a close call against High Point two years ago during Robbie Hummel’s senior year, and the Boilermakers eventually reached the round of 32 in the NCAA tournament. Sometimes, there are those rough moments in non-conference play. This team appears to have the leadership to move forward, even though some of its most talented players are young. It will be interesting to observe the body language and the effort against Central Connecticut State.
The Blue Devils might not be the best team to test theories against. They lost their season opener 93-77 to Yale after being outscored 53-30 in the second half.
Worth noting — Central Connecticut’s Kyle Vinales scored 30 points in the opener. He did it inside, outside and at the free-throw line. Given the fact that Northern Kentucky’s Jordan Jackson scored 24 in the opener, Purdue’s ability to shut down an lead scorer also is worth a look.
