It’s been a tough couple of games for the Boilermakers, as they’ve needed to come out strong in the second half and even the final 10 minutes to beat some of their recent opponents. They lost to UCLA on an 8-0 run against UCLA. So I wanted to ask the staff a burning question among fans. The starting lineup isn’t the end all be all, but it’s usually a sign from Painter that things need to change. Will you make any changes to the starting lineup? Why or why not?
Lehman:
As I said in the question, the starting lineup isn’t the end game, especially with the way Matt Painter is coaching. Often, the true measure of who Matt Painter trusts is who finishes the game. Painter is also very loyal to his starting players and generally doesn’t change the lineup very often. When he changes it, he usually has a good reason. There is no doubt that TKR and Loyer are struggling right now. Loyer’s three-point shooting rate is the main reason for his playing. In the past eight games, the three-point shooting rate has been around 25%. Does this mean he needs to be replaced? I’m not sure. And then there’s TKR, who over the past few games just seemed… off. He still has the potential to be an All-American, but he’ll just have to find it again.
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This is a lengthy way to say no, but some people may need to be restrained more quickly. If the starters don’t get the job done, guys like Jake Bent, Omar Mayer and even Liam Murphy should all be able to come in and play a few minutes. Bent may be the biggest beneficiary of any changes. So, for now, I don’t see the need to make any changes if Purdue can come back from the Illinois game tomorrow. However, I might think differently if Illinois took care of the Boilermakers.
Kyle:
Personally, I see no reason to sound alarm bells about dropping 2 points away from home.
With 3 of the 5 starters having played a lot of games together, you can almost guarantee they will figure this out. The troubling statistic is the lack of efficiency at deep right now.
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Loyer has certainly struggled, but if history repeats itself, as it has in this downturn, it also suggests he’ll be hot soon too.
I’m the team, stay the same. Smith was injured, and Loyer and Lane panicked. They’re gonna get rid of it (Taylor Swift).
Travis:
Honestly? As much as I hate to say it, maybe give Bent a better start than TKR. TKR is clearly struggling right now. UCLA had a slightly better game than USC, but Purdue’s second unit seemed to perform a little better when Bent was on the floor, and he had some very positive moments. But that’s never going to happen, we know what we have in our starting five. This is still a better starting five than 99% of other teams in college basketball. TKR and Fletch are in a slump right now, but they will bounce back.
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Ryan:
I don’t think it’s necessary. This was a group led by 4 upperclassmen and it felt like the shakeup would only cause more confusion and panic for the others rather than help. While it’s clear Purdue hasn’t been as dominant as expected lately, they’re still winning games, and let’s face it: the Big Ten is a tough conference to play in. I think Purdue will be good in March and the senior leadership will help pick up the pace moving forward.
