When Matt Painter signed Ryan Cline a few years ago, he suggested he might have just added an eventual "50-percent three-point shooter."
Coming off a 6-of-7 game at Penn State, Cline's now shooting 51.6 percent, passing over Iowa's Isaiah Moss (50 percent) for the Big Ten lead in that category in conference play.
And that number remains bogged down by an 0-for-6 game against Maryland, a game played two months ago.
Since conference play resumed Jan. 3, Cline is 30-of-53 from three-point territory, good for 57 percent over those eight games, of which Purdue has won seven, transforming its season.
Make no mistake here: Cline's shot well all season. He's shooting 44.3 percent overall, which if the season ended today would rank fourth all-time in a season at Purdue, with Cuonzo Martin's record record of 45.1 percent very much in reach considering current trending.
But since Big Ten play resumed, it's gone to another level, and it's been the product of Purdue's overall offense improving, Cline said.
"The offense is in a better flow, not rushing into shots," Cline said, "getting it to the second and third (options) and getting a great one.
"I feel like the rhythm of the offense has helped the rhythm of my shot."
This may end up being a historic three-point shooting season for Purdue.
Cline will challenge Martin's single-season percentage record, but he and Carsen Edwards will each claim their share of distinctions.
Penn State's Shep Garner holds the Big Ten single-season record for three-point field goals, making 120 last season.
With 10 regular season games and at least two postseason games guaranteed, Edwards stands today with 84 made threes, averaging an even four per game. He's likely to not only claim the record, but to hide it from everyone else for a while.
But Cline, with 70 made threes, is on pace for a top-10 finish himself. He averages 3.3 threes per game for the season.
Edwards is a lock to break Troy Lewis' single-season Purdue record of 100, set in '87-88, but Cline is on pace, too, also, setting a potential 1-2 finish in the same season.
Purdue's had some pretty three-point-dependent teams, but hasn't seen anything like what its two upperclassmen in the backcourt are doing in tandem this season.
As much attention as Edwards has gotten, and earned, for his prolific scoring, Cline is presently enjoying one of the great shooting seasons in Purdue history.
"The one thing I do when I recruit good shooters who've shown the ability to consistently make shots, even under pressure, is leave them alone," Painter said, referencing Cline's uncommon delivery. "Just make sure they're in rhythm, make sure they're set, make sure they get a lot of shots in, but he's always been a really good shooter and we just try to run things for him and try to find him for open threes."
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