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This isn't Purdue's final non-conference game, but it's its final non-conference game before Big Ten play starts Wednesday night vs. Ohio State. The Boilermakers return home following a troubling loss at Miami (Fla.) in which the Boilermakers led by as many as 20 in the first half and held comfortable leads all throughout most of the second half. ... Indiana State has only played one game to this point, a win over Truman State. Not the Truman Show, mind you.

Schedule | Statistics | Roster

Purdue's 0-2 against the two ACC opponents it's faced this season, but 3-0 against mid-majors, with two impressive wins over Liberty and Oakland, then a bit of a struggle vs. Valparaiso. ... The Boilermakers welcomed guard Eric Hunter back vs. Miami, but will again be without freshman Jaden Ivey, who still hasn't practiced. He's missed the past four games due to a foot issue. Emmanuel Dowuona, a center, has yet to practice this season because of respiratory problems. ... Expect changes to Purdue's starting five. "Yeah, we will," Painter said Friday. "... I do know that going forward, we can't do it the same way right now. Maybe this is a group that comes back together at some point, because nothing's ever final."

C — 50 TREVION WILLIAMS (6-10, 265, Junior)

10 PPG • 10.2 RPG • 2.2 APG • 40% FG

The Boilermakers' preseason All-Big Ten big man just needs to get untracked. He's only shooting 40 percent from the floor, he's been prone to foul problems, and Matt Painter keeps mentioning the need for him to concentrate on making "basic" plays.

"We need him," Painter said, "but we also need him playing the game the right way."

F — 0 MASON GILLIS (6-6, 230, Redshirt Freshman)

5.0 PPG • 2.6 RPG • 30.8% 3-PT (4-13)

The best guess here is that Gillis moves Into the starting five after his energy again stood out at Miami. Aaron Wheeler is struggling with his shot again, and doesn't seem to be providing enough value elsewhere at this point to continue in a leading role. The bigger piece of that, though, is that Gillis' effort seems to merit reward.

G — 55 SASHA STEFANOVIC (6-5, 200, Junior)

12.0 PPG • 3.2 APG • 2.7:1 A:TO • 51% 3-PT (16-31)

After scoring 39 points between the two prior games, Stefanovic was held to a season-low four at Miami on just five shots. It's reasonable to expect Purdue's best shooter to rebound the next few games.

G — 2 ERIC HUNTER JR. (6-4, 170, Junior)

Now back from injury well ahead of schedule, Hunter should move back into the starting five, a boon for Purdue defensively and certainly a help offensively. Hunter looked like his old self during the first half at Miami and finished with 11 points in big minutes.

G — 5 BRANDON NEWMAN (6-5, 195, Redshirt Freshman)

11.0 PPG • 3.6 RPG • 2.0 AST • 40.9% 3-PT (9-22)

Newman got Purdue off to a great start at Miami, then battled foul problems, getting hit with a questionable charge call at a key moment, then compounding matters by committing a cheap reach-in at the other end. Some of these young guys are learning as they're going, but Newman has already shown how good he can be.

C — 15 ZACH EDEY (7-4, 285, Freshman)

14.0 PPG • 4.6 RPG • 76.5% FG • 78.3% FT

Would Matt Painter go so far as to give Edey a start while Williams struggles? We'll see, but Edey remains a really prominent player for Purdue. The Boilermakers were better on offense at Miami with him on the floor, but some freshman bumps in the road have surfaced the past few games, in the form of preparedness, guarding away from the basket, turnovers and illegal screens.

Painter's comment about his foul trouble at Miami: "If he plays 10 more minutes, we win the game."

G — 11 ISAIAH THOMPSON (6-1, 160, Sophomore)

8.4 • 2.6 APG • 38.9% 3-PT (7-18)

Thompson's turnover total in Purdue's losses: Seven. His turnover total in its three wins: Zero. Level of competition has something to do with that, obviously, but it does illustrate the importance Thompson's decision-making held while he's been playing a leading ball-handling role for Purdue. Hunter now takes on more of that responsibility, freeing Thompson to play more away from the ball, too, most likely.

G — 25 ETHAN MORTON (6-6, 215, Freshman)

1.6 PPG • 2.6 APG

With Hunter back, Purdue can ease up on Morton a bit to give him more of an opportunity to shake off his bout with mono. In time, he'll give Purdue some real lineup flexibility. A Hunter-Thompson-Morton 1-2-3 sort of lineup would give the Boilermakers three point guards on the floor, and the likelihood that Purdue ultimately uses Morton some at the 4 would give Purdue legitimate four-guard capabilities.

F — 1 AARON WHEELER (6-9, 205, Junior)

4.6 PPG • 5.2 RPG

Since a 2-for-3 start to the season vs. Liberty, Wheeler is now 2-for-12 from three-point range, 0-for-6 the past two games, 0-for-4 at Miami. The shooting woes would stand out as much if Wheeler were more consistently affecting games in other ways, like on the offensive glass, in transition, at the defensive end or in simply being strong and secure with the basketball.

SIDELINED

G — 23 JADEN IVEY (6-4, 200, Freshman)

C — 4 EMMANUEL DOWUONA (6-10, 245, Sophomore)

Schedule | Statistics | Roster

Painter said his concern with the Sycamores lies largely in the "unknown," with just one game in the books. ... ISU beat Truman State 80-66 after trailing by three at halftime and getting outrebounded for the game. ... Jake LaRavia was one of the top freshmen in the MVC last year, a skilled and versatile 4 man who shot 41 percent from three-point range. ... Tyreke Key is a first-team All-Missouri Valley pick from last season when he averaged 15.6 points and shot 39 percent from three.

C — 1 TRE WILLIAMS (6-7, 250, Sophomore)

F — 3 JAKE LARAVIA (6-9, 228, Sophomore)

G — 11 TYREKE KEY (6-3, 205, Senior)

G— 4 COOPER NEESE (6-4, 185, Junior)

G — 10 JULIAN LARRY (6-3, 185, Freshman)

G — 44 RANDY MILLER (6-2, 185, Senior)

G — 14 TOBIAS HOWARD (6-2, 185, Senior)

G — 5 JARED HANKINS (6-4, 195, Sophomore)

There shouldn't be any real drama here for Purdue, but this is a game that's more about the Boilermakers than the opponent anyway. Matt Painter wants his team to benefit from failure, and here's the first opportunity to show it's done so. The start of the game, the energy level, the attention to detail, those things could all speak to Purdue's response from losing a game It had no business losing.

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