We continue the recruit and return series with the Purdue Boilermakers, whose season ended with a Sweet 16 loss to Texas Tech. A look at what the 2018-19 season could hold.
Possible 2018-19 starting five
G: Ryan Cline
F: Matt Haarms
Who is lost: Purdue’s starting lineup will look much different next year. Starters Isaac Haas, Dakota Mathias, P.J. Thompson and Vincent Edwards are all seniors this year. That group made the Boilermakers one of the most experienced teams in the nation this season, which made it easy to absorb the loss of former league player of the year Caleb Swanigan.
Who is added: The good news for Purdue is that bench players like Cline, Eastern and Haarms all acquired significant experience while spelling a veteran group of starters this season. The bad news is that all will have to take a big step forward while stepping into bigger roles next year. Freshman forward Aaron Wheeler redshirted this season but has given Purdue’s coaches reasons to be optimistic in practice. He could challenge for a starting job this offseason. Three prospects are slotted to join them thus far, but the Boilermakers could add to the roster in coming months. Emmanuel Dowuona, the country’s 86th-best prospect according to ESPN, is one of the better defensive centers in this year’s recruiting but might need some time to adjust to the college game. Four-star shooting guard Eric Hunter can help replace some of the 3-point shooting the Boilermakers will lose. He’ll need to add some weight to his 6-foot-3 frame. Power forward Trevion Williams (6-foot-9, 270 pounds) is on the other end of the spectrum. He has a good skill set but will need to drop some weight to be in good enough shape to be a regular contributor.
What it means for next season: This will be Carsen Edwards’ team when the Boilermakers wrap up in the NCAA tournament. The playmaking sophomore shined this season despite being surrounded by upperclassmen with plenty of ability themselves. Edwards can create scoring opportunities for himself and for teammates, so he’ll need to carry a lot of weight as his teammates get used to new jobs. Haarms is one of the team’s best defenders at this point. He can be a difference maker if he develops more on the offensive end this summer. Purdue didn’t miss a beat when having to replace the hub of its team when Swanigan went pro. They will have to adapt to a different kind of lineup next year if they hope to have the same type of steady success continue in 2018-19.
Trending: Down. Matt Painter’s team should still be able to compete in the upper echelon of the Big Ten next season. Maintaining a top-10 ranking and the type of team that can steamroll through 19 straight wins is a taller task. Edwards will make them a dangerous team no matter who they play, but depth will be harder to find.