Purdue basketball made a lineup change for offense, but did it help defensively?

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WEST LAFAYETTE − Matt Painter made a starting lineup adjustment for the benefit of Purdue basketball’s offense. But did the Boilermakers also perhaps stumble upon their best defensive lineup in the process?

Electing to utilize a smaller, more athletic lineup, the Boilermakers knew they’d have to sacrifice on the opposite end.

Five games in, after Purdue scored a season-low 58 points at Marquette, the Boilermakers had to find a lineup that could generate points against more athletic teams on Purdue’s gauntlet of a schedule.

Aided by an 80-45 thumping of Marshall in the first game with the new lineup, the defense has statistically performed better since the starting lineup alteration, though the naked eye says otherwise.

“We’ve got to do a better job keeping the ball in front of us and containing the dribble,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said.

More: Passion for Purdue basketball shined through for Frank Kendrick

Texas A&M exposed some of Purdue’s defensive flaws, though the Aggies also turned the ball over 18 times but nearly offset that with 14 offensive rebounds.

Purdue faces another athletic squad that has been an offensive juggernaut this season in Auburn on Saturday.

Last year, defensively, Purdue tried to push things inside, where Zach Edey presented a whole new set of challenges for opponents. Daniel Jacobsen was supposed to provide something similar but hasn’t. Without that luxury, there are alterations.

“There’s some things we’re probably always going to struggle with,” said assistant coach Paul Lusk, Purdue’s defensive guru. “Our numbers aren’t great, but they’re solid.”

Every game for the past three seasons has seen Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer as starters in Purdue’s backcourt. Every game for the last two has featured Trey Kaufman-Renn in the starting frontcourt. The change was Cam Heide and Myles Colvin, sophomores and first-time starters.

Colvin’s status as a starter came while playing similar minutes to his five games as a…

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Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/purdue-basketball-made-lineup-change-182017872.html

Author : Journal & Courier

Publish date : 2024-12-19 18:20:00

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