Will Lewis Jackson return?

Purdue's Lewis Jackson has a tough decision to make.

You see, Jackson, who started for the Boilermakers are the point last season, has been out all year after undergoing surgery to repair a broken bone in his foot. But Jackson is close to being back. While he still isn't cleared to play 5-on-5 yet, he has been participating in non-contact drills in practice.

Which makes it very likely that Jackson will be able to return this season.

The questions is will he want to.

Is a year of eligibility worth 1/3 of a season?
(photo credit: AP)

Jackson hasn't played this season, and in an absolute best-case scenario, Jackson would only be able to play in 11 regular season games (and even that is assuming he would be ready to play against Wisconsin on Thursday, which is highly unlikely). Is Jackson willing to use up a year of eligibility on a third of a season in which he is coming off of foot surgery?

This isn't the first time that we've run into a situation like this.

In his second game as a freshman for the Tar Heels, Tyler Zeller took a hard fall after being fouled by Kentucky's Ramon Harris and fractured his wrist. Many thought he would be out for the season, but Zeller recovered quickly from the injury and made the decision to return for UNC's final seven regular season games. While his minutes after he returned were limited in comparison to the first two games, he played those limited minutes as a contributor for a team that won a national title.

You think that year of eligibility was worth playing in a Final Four and contributing to a national title?

Jackson will face a similar dilemma. Purdue, despite their three straight losses, is a contender to make a Final Four run even without Jackson. But they are sorely lacking a point guard, and with Jackson filling that void, they are a much more complete team.

To his credit, Painter is leaving the decision up to Jackson. There is no sense in rushing Jackson back and risking further injury simply to get him on the floor.

That said, once he is cleared, the decision of whether or not to risk the medical redshirt will be all on Jackson. Do you think there is any way he passes up playing with a team that has a shot at making a deep run in March?

I don't.
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Purdue's point guard problems will hurt them

When talking about Ohio State's comeback win against Purdue last night, everyone is going to mention Evan Turner's 23 second half points. Or the 14 straight points he scored in the last four minutes to turn a 10 point deficit into a 2 point lead. Or the 29 points and school-record eight threes Robbie Hummel had in the first half.

Don't get me wrong, what Hummel and Turner did last night was nothing short of incredible. There's a reason both are on a short list for Big Ten player of the year, and they showed it last night.

Robbie Hummel had 29 first half points last night.
(photo credit: Cleveland.com)

But that wasn't the story of the game last night.

No, the bigger issue is what Purdue lacks; namely, a point guard with Lewis Jackson sidelined with a broken foot.

The Boilermakers got bailed out by Hummel in the first half. They had nine turnovers in the first ten minutes. Other than Hummel, Purdue scored just 12 first half points. As a team, they shot 22 three-pointers in the first 20 minutes, and hit just 2-12 once you factor out Hummel's performance. What Hummel's hot first half hid was Purdue's inability to get penetration against the Ohio State defense. The Boilermakers weren't attacking the gaps of the Buckeyes 2-3 zone or getting the post touches in the paint, instead throwing the ball around the perimeter until they happened to get a look at a three.

They caught a break when Hummel caught fire.

After halftime, OSU went man, keeping David Lighty, Jon Diebler, or William Buford attached to Hummel's hip. As a result, the Boilermakers scored just 25 points in the second half, as Hummel was 2-8 from the floor with six points. If it weren't for the ability of E'Twaun Moore to create going 1-on-1, 25 points would have been a stretch.

The bottom-line is that Purdue is essentially a bunch of jump shooters and defenders. Outside of Moore, is there anyone on this team that can consistently create their own shot? Is there anyone that makes a coach think "we cannot be late with help side if he penetrates"? Hell, even 6'10" center JaJuan Johnson's best offensive weapon (outside of the catch-and-dunk) is a 15-17 foot jumper.

Simply put, the Boilermakers don't have a player that can put pressure on the defense.

They don't have a creator.

It doesn't necessarily have to be a point guard. Ohio State doesn't have a true point guard, but they have Evan Turner. Turner can attack the rim. He can beat his man and force the defense to help. He can find the open player when the help comes, or finish at and around the rim if its not there in time.

Purdue?

They have Kelsey Barlow. Barlow isn't a bad player - hes a big, strong guard that can defend and rebound, but he hasn't shown anywhere near the ability to be a playmaker, a passer, or a scorer just yet.

They have Keaton Grant, who has had a solid career for Purdue. But if you're a Purdue fan, do you really feel comfortable relying on Grant, who's averaging a career high with 2.1 apg this season, as your primary playmaker?

I wouldn't.

Purdue is a phenomenal defensive team, maybe the best in the country, and they played great defensively last night. In the first 36 minutes of the game, they had held Ohio State to just 52 points and Evan Turner to 18 points on 7-17 shooting and just 3 assists to 6 turnovers.

But in the final four minutes, their lack of a true point guard reared its head again.

Up 62-55 after a three-point play from Turner, Ohio State threw a press at Purdue, forcing back-to-back turnovers that both led to easy baskets for Turner. On their next possession, up just 62-59, Chris Kramer forced a tough shot in the lane that was blocked by Dallas Lauderdale, and at the other end Turner knocked down a three which tied the game.

Evan Turner didn't play great last night, but he was great in the final four minutes.
(photo credit: Cleveland.com)

Two possessions later, after an E'Twaun Moore jumper was sandwiched by four Evan Turner free throws, Purdue once again turned the ball over, this time with Keaton Grant losing the ball out of bounds with 40 seconds left.

Lewis Jackson could have helped prevent those turnovers.

Purdue is outstanding defensively, good enough that it is going to win them a lot of games. But, as I've said since the injury to Jackson happened, Purdue is not a complete team.

And when playing against good teams - like Wisconsin and Ohio State - they are going to be exposed.

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Big Ten injuries

Its no secret that the Big Ten has dealt with a number of serious injuries this season. Purdue's Lewis Jackson broke his foot. So did Northwestern's Kevin Coble. Indiana's Maurice Creek fractured a knee cap. Wisconsin's Jon Leuer broke his wrist. Evan Turner has returned after breaking two bones in his back.

Last night during the Ohio State-Purdue broadcast, ESPN put up a graphic highlighting the major injuries in the conference this season, and I got to thinking: how good would this team be?

My conclusion?

They may actually win the Big Ten.

Having Turner in the line-up is enough to put a team into consideration. Now think about Turner playing with a scorer like Creek and versatile big men that can spread the floor like Leuer and Coble.

Scary right?

I'll add Jerry Wainwright, who qualifies because he tore his MCL and fractured his tibia on Wednesday of last week, as the coach and wait for Blake Hoffarber and Dallas Lauderdale to go down, and we got us a national title contender.


Side note: for those that didn't see it, Robbie Hummel dislocated a finger last night. Be warned - the video is a bit graphic if you don't like to see fingers bending in awkward directions.


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The best ten days of the pre-March college hoops season starts tonight

For anyone that stayed up to watch all 24 plus hours of the 2009 Tip-Off Marathon, kudos. You are probably just as tired as I am right now.

But don't think, not for a second, that we are done with this season's non-conference craziness.

You see, today kicks off the best ten day stretch of the college basketball season that doesn't involve the terms "March" or "Madness". In early November, most teams are playing cupcakes, ironing out the kinks in their rotations, their offense, and their defense, and trying to find an identity. When December rolls around and finals hit, most schools tone down their scheduling. Flying cross-country the day before a exam is not the best way to keep up a GPA.

That leaves the end of November. And while much of the country will spend Turkey week watching football, if you get sick of watching the Lions or this weekend's meaningless college football schedule, you can rest assured that there will be plenty of hoops to be seen.

So without further ado, here are the 10 questions we hope will be answered by the end of Feast Week (for a full breakdown of the preseason tournaments, go here)

How will UNC play against real competition?

North Carolina is 3-0 early in the season, but they haven't exactly played the meat of the ACC schedule. They also haven't looked all that impressive in wins over FIU, North Carolina Central, and Valpo. There are two major issues for the Heels - perimeter shooting and the play of their younger guys. In their first three wins, UNC won, for the most part, because Deon Thompson, Ed Davis, and Tyler Zeller were just too strong inside. Playing against teams with similar strength inside, will the back court be capable of winning games? Larry Drew has been solid, but unspectacular, in his first three games starting at the point. Marcus Ginyard and Will Graves are smart veteran players and good defenders, but they aren't exactly Wayne Ellington offensively. Dexter Strickland, Leslie McDonald, and John Henson have been disappointing thus far. If the Heels don't find a perimeter shooter and their young back court kids don't develop in a hurry, Roy Williams may regret his team's difficult early schedule.


Will UCLA's defense pick up?

Did you watch the UCLA-Cal St. Fullerton game? The Bruins lost a double overtime snoozefest to the Titans in one of the ugliest games I have seen in a long time. Why? UCLA doesn't have a go-to guy offensively. Malcolm Lee was expected to be that guy, and while he had his moments, against CSF he showed he still has a long way to go. PG Jerime Anderson looked nervous and played without confidence throughout the game, and Drew Gordon is without an effective offensive game. Michael Roll and Nikola Dragovic, when he finds he jumper, are effective complimentary scorers, but they aren't the guys you want to rely upon for a big basket. With their injuries in the pre-season, these struggles were somewhat expected. UCLA's struggles defensively weren't. Don't be fooled by the numbers, the Bruins allowed the Titans to penetrate at will, and if CSF had been able to finish at the rim (the Titans must have missed 15 lay-ups), UCLA would have lost by 20. UCLA will get a talented Portland team in the opening round of the 76 Classic, followed by a tough match-up with either Butler or Minnesota. Their defense will be tested.


Is Gonzaga's front line really as good as they played against Michigan State?

Everyone knew about Gonzaga's back court coming into the season. Matt Bouldin, Demetri Goodson, and Steven Gray (ED. Note: Until he cuts his hair, I propose the nickname of Geico for Steven Gray. He looks just like one of the cavemen.) are as talented as any three in the back court. The question was in the front court, and Robert Sacre and Elias Harris more than proved themselves. Sacre has 17 points on an impressive variety of post moves, while Harris used his strength and athleticism to bully his way to 17 and 9. The question is was that a result of a young and depleted Spartan front line, or are Sacre and Harris really that good? With Colorado and the winner of Arizona/Wisconsin in the first two rounds of the Maui Invitational, Sacre and Harris will get a chance to prove this wasn't a fluke performance.


Will Greivis Vasquez break out of this shooting slump?

Greivis Vasquez has struggled through the first two games of the season. He is just 6-25 from the floor, 2-7 from three, and averaging a paltry 8.0 ppg. How is this possible? Everyone knows that he is one of the most talented players in the country, and by far the best player on the Maryland team.

Therein lies the problem. If the fans know it and the writers and bloggers know it, then shouldn't you expect opposing coaches to know it as well? When you are as good as Vasquez is, team's are going to key in on you. And that is precisely what has happened. The shooting numbers for Vasquez are going to come around. It is only a matter of time, and as anyone that has played basketball knows, all it takes is for one to go down and a player is right back on track. The good news is that the rest of Vasquez's game hasn't suffered. As he is drawing more attention on the offensive end, he has been great at distributing the ball. Through two games, he has 19 assists and just six turnovers. Hopefully, he can find his stroke against Chaminade in the Maui Invitational, because the Terps are going to need him against Cincinnati or Vanderbilt in the second round.


Can Cincinnati play an effective brand of basketball with Lance Stephenson and Deonta Vaughn on the court at the same time?

Two games in, and the Lance Stephenson experiment isn't exactly going perfectly. In the opener, the Bearcats struggled to run their offense against an extremely out-talented Prairie View A&M. Lance Stephenson struggled, finishing 2-10 from the floor for 7 points, while Deonta Vaughn played so poorly that he was benched for the start of the second half. Then against Toledo, the Bearcats allowed a team that starts three freshman to hang around, cutting the lead to 57-49 with 14 minutes left, and while shooting 48% from the floor for the game. Clearly, this is not a team that is firing on all cylinders right now. There seem to be two issues at hand - Stephenson is a bit too anxious early in the season (Cronin went so far as too call him a nervous wreck in the opener), and Vaughn seems to lack the leadership qualities that Cronin is looking for. Will they figure it out by the time they play Vanderbilt out in Maui?


Are Kansas State's post players good enough for the Wildcats to compete in the Big XII? Is Georgia Tech's back court good enough to make them relevant in the ACC?

Kansas State and Georgia Tech are in similar situations. The Wildcats have one of the most talented back courts in the country in Denis Clemente, Jacob Pullen, and Rodney MscGruder. But their front court, which is full of potential, is largely an unknown commodity. Is Curtis Kelly the Curtis Kelly that scored 22 in their opener, or is he the kid that couldn't get any minutes at UConn? How good will Wally Judge and Jamar Samuels end up being? We find out starting tonight as K-State takes on Boston U.

Georgia Tech is the other way around. With Zach Peacock, Gani Lawal, and Derrick Favors, the Jackets have one of the best front courts around. But will their perimeter play be enough to carry them to the top of a wide open ACC? Iman Shumpert was good at times last season, but all erratic and inconsistent. Mfon Udofia, Glen Rice Jr, and Moe Miller are talented, but unproven. The return of DeAndre Bell from a back injury should help provide leadership, but this group of youngsters has their work cut out for them. We should learn a lot from their match-up with the tough Dayton Flyers today.


Is UConn going to live up to their lofty expectations this year?

UConn is 3-0 on the season, but with the exception of the second half against Colgate, UConn has been far from impressive this season. William & Mary was down seven with the ball in the final four minutes, Colgate was down one at halftime (and outplayed the Huskies in the first half), and Hofstra was up by nine with nine minutes left before Jerome Dyson took over. The problem the Huskies have had is on the offensive end - they can't score in the half court. Where they are most effective defensively is in their 2-2-1 press, but UConn can only set up that press after a made basket. The press not only creates turnovers and offense, it takes the opposition out of there rhythm. Unless UConn can find a shooter or two (Jamal Coombs-McDaniel has been their best thus far, but Dyson can shoot with time as well), teams are going to pack in their defense, forcing the Huskies into tough drives at the rim. While Dyson and Kemba Walker excel at slashing to the basket, its a much tougher task going against a sagging 2-3 zone than a close-out in a man-to-man situation.


Can Evan Turner continue to impress playing against quality competition?

Sure, Evan Turner has great numbers right now. Can anyone really argue with 19 ppg, 17 rpg, 7 apg, and 2 spg? No, they can't. But Turner posted those numbers against less than stellar competition. His triple-double came against Alcorn State, who shut down Rotnei Clarke to the tune of 51 points later that week. The 24 point, 17 rebound performance in his second game came against James Madison, a middle of the pack team from the CAA that lost three of their top four scorers. On Thursday and Friday, Turner will be going up against North Carolina and either Syracuse or Cal. Will he continue to dominate playing the point guard spot, or were these first two games a fluke? Personally, I think his domination continues. Turner is an all-american and arguably the most versatile, well-rounded player in the country. His numbers may drop (I don't see him getting 17 boards against UNC), but that should be expected. Don't expect his value to the Buckeyes success to diminish at all, however.


Are Rider and Cornell for real?

Rider has wins on the road against Mississippi State and Lehigh. Cornell has won games at Alabama and UMass. This should have been expected from Cornell. They are a talented and experienced group that has won back-to-back Ivy League crowns. Louis Dale, the '07-'08 Ivy player of the year, is one of the best point guards you have never seen player. Two-time Ivy first-teamer Ryan Wittman is on the short list for best shooter in the country. 7'0" center Jeff Foote is the reigning defensive player of the year, and has added some offense to his game this season, averaging 13.5 ppg. Cornell has a great point guard, a big center, shooters on the wing, and a solid group of experienced role players. Isn't that the ideal situation for a mid-major?

Rider, on the other hand, was not a team a lot of people were talking about in the pre-season. They play in the MAAC, which is a conference headlined by Siena and Niagara. There is not a lot of space at the top. But what people forget is that Rider won 19 games last season, 12 in the MAAC including splits with Siena and Niagara, and returned their top five scorers, including Ryan Thompson. Rider, however, may not be able to carry this momentum like Cornell. They rely a little too much on the three ball (their top four perimeter players are a combined 25-35 from deep in two games, that's 71%), and when those stop dropping at that rate, the Broncs may come back down to earth.


How will Purdue react to the loss of Lewis Jackson?

As we talked about yesterday, this will be a big change for Purdue. Without Jackson, they do not have a true point guard on their roster. The Boilermakers were fine with Keaton Grant and E'Twaun Moore sharing point guard duties two years ago when they reached the NCAA Tournament, and given the team-oriented offense that Purdue likes to run, the Boilermakers should have enough on their roster to survive. But after spending an off-season preparing for running an offense through Jackson, it will be an adjustment getting used to Grant and Moore running the show.

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Some news you might have missed: Lewis Jackson could miss the season

Earlier in November, Northwestern senior and second team all-Big Ten performer Kevin Coble broke his foot in such a way that surgery was required, ending his season. The story made its rounds on the blogs, and was still being talked about today, as Northwestern is visited by Butler.

Compare that to yesterday, when news broke that Lewis Jackson, the starting point guard for Purdue, had suffered a similar injury and will require surgery that could keep him out for the season as well.

Have you heard about that yet? We did link to an AP report in this morning's dump.

Lewis Jackson could miss the season after under going foot surgery.
(photo credit: Bleacher Report)

But where are the big guns on this? Reactions from Parrish, Goodman (Goodman has weighed in), Katz, Davis, and the rest of the notable CBB writers have yet to show up in my google reader.

I understand why the Coble story got so much play; Northwestern is the only major conference school that has not made the NCAA Tournament, but with Coble anchoring the team this year, a lot of people were predicting that the Wildcats would make the dance. Not only was it a feels-so-good-its-destined-to-be-a-movie storyline, but our hero - Coble - was a stand-up guy. Remember two years ago when he made the decision to miss the first semester of basketball to be with his mother, who had been diagnosed with breast cancer, in his native Scottsdale?

So yeah, when it comes to compelling journalism, Coble's injury makes for a better read.

But when it comes to basketball, the injury to Jackson is just as, if not more, significant than Coble's.

Purdue is a top ten team, a Big Ten favorite, and a potential Final Four team. With Robbie Hummell, Keaton Grant, and Chris Kramer all healthy, and E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson primed for big junior years, it is easy to see why.

One of the issues Purdue had coming into the season, however, was depth. Beyond the five I mentioned and Jackson, the Boilermakers may not have an impact player on their roster. Ryne Smith is a shooter, and Sandi Marcius is a tough, 6'9" Croatian expected to be the first big man off the bench when he recovers from injury.

No where on that list do you see a point guard. Sure, Keaton Grant and E'Twaun Moore were solid sharing the role two years ago (before Jackson got to Purdue) and they could probably do an adequate job filling in this year.

But running the point is not where either of them are the most effective.

Moore is at his best when he is allowed to roam the perimeter and run off of screens. He can score, and is a better player when he is allowed to focus on doing just that, as opposed trying to run an offensive system. It is the same with Grant. An effective combo-guard that can play both the point and the two, he is at his best playing the role of spark plug off the bench.

With Moore, Grant, and Jackson available, it gives Painter a versatile array of line-ups at his disposal.

Without Jackson, this team does not have a true point guard on their roster.

Don't believe me? Then chew on this: Kelsey Barlow is expected to be the guy that gets Jackson's minutes and spot in the rotation. He is a 6'5" small forward that Painter nearly redshirted this season, and now will be asked to play minutes at the point.

Jackson brought with him a dimension that Purdue no longer has. He is a lightening quick point guard that can get into the lane, break a press, lead the occasional break, and create in the half court. His quickness with the ball cannot be replaced with the guys that Painter has.

That said, the key to Purdue's offense this season is getting the ball to their scorers (Hummell, Moore, Johnson) in a position that they can score. If Barlow, Grant, and company can do that, than the Boilermakers will still be a player in the Big Ten.
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No. 6: 2009-2010 Team Preview: Purdue Boilermakers

2008-2009 Record: 27-10, 11-7 Big Ten (t-2nd)

Key Losses: Nemanja Calasan (6.3 ppg, 3.0 rpg), Marcus Green (4.0 ppg, 3.5 rpg)

Key Returners: E'Twaun Moore (13.8 ppg, 3.0 apg), JaJuan Johnson (13.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 2.1 bpg), Robbie Hummel (12.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg), Keaton Grant (7.9 ppg)

Newcomers: Stevie Loveless, Kelsey Barlow, Dru Anthrop, Kyle Coleman, DJ Byrd, John Hart, Patrick Bade, Sandi Marcius

Robbie Hummel, Chris Kramer, and JaJuan Johnson will lead an experienced Boilermaker team.
(photo credit: Lafayette-Online)

Two years ago, Purdue came out of nowhere to make the NCAA tournament on the strength of three freshmen - Robbie Hummel, E'Twaun Moore, and JaJuan Johnson. Last season, those three led a beat-up Purdue team to the Sweet 16. Now fully healthy and returning six of their top seven scorers, the Boilermakers looked primed to make a run at the Big Ten title.

Purdue's team is centered around team play, execution, and defense. There may not be a team in the country that plays better fundamental defense that the Boilermakers. Whether its getting to the charge spot, jumping to help side, or perfectly rotating when the ball swings, Purdue hangs their hat on the ability to make every shot a difficult one. The best defender on the team is Chris Kramer, who won the 2008 Big Ten defensive player of the year. Kramer is tough as nails and routinely defends an opponent's best perimeter player. He even slid down to the four spot defensively when Hummel was injured.

While Purdue is strong on the defensive end, that doesn't mean that they don't have some talent on the offensive end. Their best offensive weapon is probably Hummel. Hummel played last season with a painful stress fracture in his back which forced him to wear a brace on his back, even when he wasn't playing. He is now 100%, which is great news for Matt Painter. Hummel is a versatile offensive player in that skill-wise, he is a small forward but he plays the power forward spot on this team. He stands 6'8", but his is at his best playing on the perimeter thanks to his excellent jump shot. He is mobile and a heady player, resulting in a lot of easy baskets moving without the ball. Where Hummel struggles is when he is forced to put the ball on the floor. He has a decent handle, but his limited-at-best athleticism stifles his ability to get by a defender and finish at the rim.

Joining Hummel up front is JaJuan Johnson. Johnson came into Purdue as a rail thin, 6'10" center, but in his two seasons he's beefed up 40 lbs to 210 and can now bench 285 lbs. Johnson is a shot blocker that has a decent back to the basket game and a solid jumper out to about 15 feet. He is easily the best NBA prospect on the Boilermakers roster, a testament to his development as he played JV as a high school junior. Johnson still could use some added strength to help him battle the Big Ten's biggest and needs to improve his rebounding, especially on the offensive end, but his presence inside will be so important as Purdue does not have much else up front.

On the perimeter for Painter is E'Twaun Moore and Keaton Grant. Moore has led Purdue in scoring the last two seasons. He isn't a flashy player or an overly athletic guy, but he's smooth on the offensive end with good instincts and a better jump shot. He won't blow by a defender every time, but can get to the rim when the opportunity is there. Likewise, he isn't going to be shooting 25 footers all game, but he can knock down open jumpers at a pretty good clip. In short, Moore is a smart player that picks his spots well. Grant had a fantastic sophomore season in '07-'08, averaging 11.2 ppg and shooting 44% from deep. He struggled a bit last season as he, too, was beat up, but one thing that's for sure is that Grant can shoot when he is healthy.

Lewis Jackson will run the point for Purdue. Jackson had an up and down freshman season, but should be expected to come back strong during his sophomore campaign. Jackson is a jet with the ball and should help the Boilermakers get some easy baskets in transition. He proved to be better than expected in the half court, however. Given his diminutive stature (5'8"), he will probably never be a dominant player a la Kalin Lucas. But Purdue doesn't need that. They need a guy that won't turn the ball over and can get the ball to their stars in a position to score. Jackson should be able to do that this year.

I mentioned it earlier, but the biggest issue for Purdue this season is going to be depth. Outside of the six guys I just mentioned, who else will be able to contribute minutes, especially up front? Sophomore Ryne Smith is a shooter, but played just 18 games last season. 6'10" Croatian freshman Sandi Marcius was expected to contribute minutes, but he will be out for about another month with an injury. After that, there are a lot of freshman that will battle for role playing minutes. Patrick Bade, a 6'8", 235 lb forward, may see some reserve minutes up front. On the perimeter, DJ Byrd and Kelsey Barlow are both talented enough to see some time as well.

Outlook: A lot of people had Purdue pegged as a potential Big Ten champion and Final Four team last season. But a rash of injuries kept the Boilermakers from playing at full strength most of the season. With everyone back, and three potential Big Ten player of the year candidates, it is feasible to believe that Purdue could outlast Michigan State and win the conference. If they do, it will be a result of their defense. I'm not sold on them being a Final Four candidate this year, however. Unless they have some interior depth surface, Jackson develops into a more consistent PG, and either Moore or Hummel turns into a dominant go-to scorer, I just don't see Purdue being a team built for March.
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