CHICAGO — After less than half a practice last week, Purdue center Matt Haarms was sent to the sideline, after taking a blow to the head and suffering a concussion.

"I'm good," Haarms said Wednesday at Big Ten media day. "I'm all cleared. All good."

"I was telling people, 'I'd rather this happen to me than one of our new guys,'" Haarms said. "They'd be lost. Thankfully I know what's going on with the team.

"It sucks to miss practice, though. But it was all about being safe and I really appreciate our training staff, they're not rushing me back, really following protocol and making sure I get back safe."

"It actually helps you, because you know what he can give you and you know he's a disciplined player," Coach Matt Painter said. "Sometimes when you get guys who've played before they need to be out there from a discipline standpoint — everyone needs to be out there from a discipline standpoint — but he is a disciplined player. He understands how we play, what we do.

"It actually gives more people at his position more reps."

That's meant more minutes in practices for Trevion Williams and Emmanuel Dowuona, going against each, for the entirety of practices, more or less. Evan Boudreaux also plays center, but is being used as a forward, too.

Purdue has wanted to gauge its ability to play Haarms and Williams together more, but said Haarms' lost practice time hasn't stunted that process.

"We have to get in shape before worrying about that," Painter said.

The Boilermakers have been down another body, as freshman guard Brandon Newman sprained an ankle, a minor injury, Painter believes.

"I think he'll go (Thursday) or I'd think at the latest Friday," Painter said.

Newman Is part of a crowded field at the 2 and 3 positions, where Newman, sophomore Sasha Stefanovic, senior newcomer Jahaad Proctor and sophomore combo guard Eric Hunter are all vying for minutes, while the possibility exists that point guards Nojel Eastern and Isaiah Thompson and forward Aaron Wheeler could move to the wing some, also.

"Sasha has more experience than anybody, so if anyone's ahead of anyone else it's him because of his experience," Painter said. "He's shot the ball really well. Jahaad has scored the ball the last couple practices really well and looks like he's getting more comfortable. Brandon Newman is a very competitive kid and wants to get it all right away like all freshmen. He wants to be able to get It all, understand it all, and that's not the way It works. There's a process involved, but he's had a couple practices where he really made shots, and that's a great sign. It's a great problem to have and I think things will sort themselves out."

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