What does Purdue basketball do for an encore? Where Boilers land in early rankings.

The Purdue basketball roster has remained more consistent than most for 2024-25, with one notable exception.

The Boilermakers lost two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey, but they keep three starters and have a heralded incoming freshman class.

Many national experts see a drop-off (it’s hard to move up from national runner-up), but the Boilermakers may remain a contender in the Big Ten (now 18). Purdue’s average national ranking among this group is 13th.

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Where is Purdue ranked in college basketball?

▶ Gary Parrish, CBS Sports: 12th

This ranking is based on Matt Painter’s Boilermakers returning five of the top eight scorers — specifically Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Myles Colvin and Camden Heide — from a team that won the Big Ten regular-season title and advanced to the championship game of the 2024 NCAA Tournament. The Boilermakers have finished in the top 25 at KenPom.com nine straight years, and there’s no reason to think that streak won’t continue next season even without two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey.

▶ Isaac Trotter, 247Sports: 18th

Having an All-Big Ten point guard like Braden Smith makes life so much easier. Even without two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey, Purdue is expected to be a real contender in 2024-25. Smith will be a Big Ten Player of the Year nominee and Loyer is a trusty secondary option.

But Purdue didn’t add a single player in the transfer portal because it didn’t have any open scholarships. This offseason is a bet on young, talented wings like Cam Heide and Myles Colvin being absolute dudes. With Matt Painter at the helm and Smith holding the keys, Purdue has the infrastructure to cover up their flaws and maximize their strengths. It’s also time for Trey Kaufman-Renn to prove Purdue right. His stage is set.

This defense will undergo a facelift, but maybe…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/does-purdue-basketball-encore-where-161506829.html

Author : IndyStar | The Indianapolis Star

Publish date : 2024-06-10 16:15:06

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