The 411: #7 Purdue vs. Indiana State

No. 7 Purdue, coming off a season-opening rout of Bellarmine, plays the second of three home games pre-Hall of Fame Classic in Connecticut, this one being against Indiana State and new coach Josh Schertz.

Date: Friday, Nov. 12, 2021

Time: 8:30 p.m. ET

TV: BTN

Radio: Purdue Radio Network (96.5 WAZY locally)

Schedule | Roster | Stats

• Purdue shot 16-of-36 from three-point range against Bellarmine and started the game 18-of-18 at the foul line before finishing 24-of-29. The Boilermakers would love to build up some momentum and sustain it in both categories.

• The win over Bellarmine came relatively easy for the Boilermakers despite the fact that center Zach Edey didn't take a shot until around the seven-minute mark of the first half, Trevion Williams took just one for the game, and Jaden Ivey was 4-of-11 from the floor, with four turnovers.

• Purdue was excellent in transition against Bellarmine, with Ivey — courtesy of two pick-sixes — and Ethan Morton having a lot to do with that. The Boilermakers totaled 15 fast-break points, but that number doesn't reflect how much offense they got quickly.

• It certainly wasn't peer-on-peer level of competition around the basket, but Purdue outrebounded Bellarmine by 20. Zach Edey and Caleb Furst each finished with nine boards and Trevion Williams grabbed seven in less than 15 minutes.

• Last season, Purdue hosted Indiana State and won 80-68 behind 30 points from Trevion Williams.

STARTERS

C — 15 Zach Edey (7-4, 295, So.)

After a big summer, the sophomore opens the season as the starter at a position where Purdue has two All-Big Ten-level players. Edey's poised for a breakout season.

F — 3 Caleb Furst (6-10, 230, Fr.)

The debuting forward takes over at the 4 to start the season and gives Purdue a bigger look in its frontcourt. He was an elite rebounder in high school, but has also really shot the three well in the preseason and impressed coaches with his perimeter defense.

G —23 Jaden Ivey (6-4, 195, So.)

The Preseason All-Big Ten guard should be the Boilermakers' leading scorer this season and maybe one of the top guards in college basketball.

G — 55 Sasha Stefanovic (6-5, 205, Sr.)

The senior is Purdue's best shooter and an integral part of what the Boilermakers do offensively.

G — 2 Eric Hunter (6-4, 175, Sr.)

Hunter should be Purdue's defensive tone-setter, among other things.

ROTATION

C — 50 Trevion Williams (6-10, 255, Sr.)

How many teams have a returning All-American coming off the bench? Williams is just that, one of the best big men in the country. By all accounts, he had a very good off-season. Edey had an unbelievable off-season.

G —11 Isaiah Thompson (6-1, 160, Jr.)

Purdue's No. 2 point guard, Thompson is a 40-plus-percent-type three-point shooter and well regarded by his coaches from a defensive perspective.

G — 5 Brandon Newman (6-5, 200, So.)

After starting most of the season last year, Newman finished the year coming off the bench, which was a difficult adjustment, but one he feels he's made now as he starts his sophomore season. He has the potential to be an elite shooter and a fine defender.

G — 25 Ethan Morton (6-6, 215, So.)

The versatile ball-handler can play three positions, and has played well this fall after a rough freshman season.

NOTE: Forward Mason Gillis is suspended for the first four regular season games. Freshmen Trey Kaufman-Renn and Brian Waddell will redshirt this season.

Schedule | Roster | Stats

• Josh Schertz takes over at Indiana State after a 13-year run at D2 Lincoln Memorial in Tennessee in which his teams won 83 percent of their games and won 14 conference titles.

• Indiana State opened with an 81-77 win at Green Bay in which four of its five starters scored at least 15 points.

• ISU is so new under its new staff that it's difficult to predict what the Sycamores might do against Purdue, but it was 100-percent man-to-man defensively against Green Bay.

• Former Purdue baseball and basketball player Sherard Clinkscales is Indiana State's athletic director. He and Matt Painter were teammates on Gene Keady's teams.

• Indiana State associate head coach Matthew Graves worked with first-year Purdue assistant coach Terry Johnson on Brad Stevens' staff at Butler.

• Against Purdue last season, Cooper Neese, who started his career at Butler, scored 22 points. The sharp-shooter is playing more of a point guard role for the Sycamores this season.

STARTERS

F - 4 Cooper Neese (6-4, 185, Jr.)

F- 13 Kailex Stephens (6-7, 214, Jr.)

G - 0 Xavier Bledson (6-6, 215, So.)

G- 15 Cameron Henry (6-6, 210, Jr.)

G - 5 Cameron Crawford (6-5, 175, Fr.)

KEY RESERVES

G - 1 Julian Larry (6-3, 185, Fr.)

G - 10 Garrett Tipton (6-4, 190, Jr.)

G - 24 Zach Hobbs (6-5, 190, So.)

F - 35 Dearon Tucker (6-10, 240, So.)

Stay dialed in to GoldandBlack.com during the game for our pre-game First Thoughts analysis. During the game, follow along with our game thread and follow @brianneubert on Twitter for additional insight.

Following the game, we'll have post-game press conference video, game coverage, analysis, our Wrap Video and Final Thoughts, plus a Gold and Black Radio podcast within a few hours of the end of the game.

Stay tuned.

Indiana State may be more athletic than Bellarmine and that would mean a more meaningful test of the Boilermakers' apparent early vulnerabilities defensively. Purdue, though, is really formidable offensively and in games like this, we'd expect them to have little trouble putting points on the board.

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