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WEST LAFAYETTE – Purdue men’s basketball coach Matt Painter has never had depth like this before.
So he’s still working on developing a rotation for the No. 7 Boilermakers. Another chance for tinkering is in the final exhibition game at 7 tonight against Kentucky Wesleyan at Mackey Arena. But it likely won’t be the last time Painter makes adjustments with his players.
Freshman big man Sandi Marcius has a broken foot and will be out at least a month, forcing freshmen D.J. Byrd and Patrick Bade into reserve playing time.
In the backcourt, Painter has tons of options to choose from – and last season’s starting point guard Lewis Jackson isn’t even in that mix yet. Jackson will miss tonight’s game by serving the second of a three-game suspension for violation of team and NCAA rules.
Senior Keaton Grant started last Tuesday’s 78-44 exhibition victory over California of Pennsylvania at point. Purdue also has Chris Kramer, E’Twaun Moore, Ryne Smith and John Hart as backcourt options.
“It’s obvious there’s a logjam in the backcourt,” Painter said. “That’s a great problem. We didn’t have that problem three, four years ago. So it’s a good problem for us. But Lewis is going to play. He gives us quickness. He can push the basketball. He can break down the defense. He can pressure.
“Where do you find 20 more minutes for him in a real game? That’s a little bit different.”
Painter also is trying to evaluate his young players and needs to decide on whether to redshirt any of them. He played all three scholarship freshmen together in the first exhibition.
Currently, examining guard Kelsey Barlow is “the No. 1 thing for us,” Painter said. Barlow is an option only because the Boilers are stacked in the backcourt, Painter said. Painter said he loves Barlow’s decision-making skills and likes his long arms and athleticism on defense.
“It’s probably going to be at a nine-man rotation at some time. But you have to have 10, 11, whether somebody is a zone buster or you want an extra ballhandler or you need depth on your front line,” Painter said.
