Purdue Basketball Blog

Getting Ready for March Madness

2011-11-28T07:23:00.002-05:00

Prior to the season, there were many question marks entering the season. With the departure of JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore, offense was seemingly going to be Purdue's weakness, but rely on defense to stay competitive. Proving that pre-season predictions are nothing more than conjecture, Purdue has proven everyone wrong. Purdue has had no problems offensively, but have many issues on the

Updated Scholarship Grid (Following Kyle Molock's De-Commitment)

2011-06-29T08:26:00.002-04:00

Updated Basketball Scholarship Graph (4/25/11)

2011-04-27T09:59:00.000-04:00

Updated Scholarship Graph

2011-04-19T10:26:00.005-04:00

Who We Be?

2011-02-02T16:40:00.003-05:00

Purdue's tumultuous season has left many with all sorts of questions:Will E'Twaun Moore somehow regain his confidence? Will Ryne Smith and DJ Byrd be able to take over the leadership of this team? Will Kelsey Barlow limit his TO's? How in the world will Marcius, Carroll, and Bade replace the production of JaJuan Johnson?There are many unanswered questions half way through the Big Ten season, and

Purdue 2010-2011 Non-Conference Schedule Released

2010-08-23T10:47:00.005-04:00

Mark your calendars, Purdue's 2010-2011 non-conference schedule has been released:PRI won't be soaring through the early season, but It will rebound once Big Ten season starts.

Don't forget Rapheal Davis

2010-06-27T15:31:00.004-04:00

Here's a great article on 2012's Rapheal Davis.Davis has starred on a talented South Side (Ft. Wayne) team (21 points 8 rebounds), and will be their focal point for the next 2 years. In AAU he's been playing the point, which will be a huge asset no matter what position he ends up playing for at Purdue. Oh, and did I mention he's also playing up a division?We are watching him him grow as a leader

Branden Dawson update XVI

2010-06-09T07:46:00.007-04:00

Shortly after Dawson scared many by flirting with the UCLA media, it's more than comforting to hear him say some kind words about Purdue Basketball. Dawson, who is usually pretty diplomatic and cryptic when speaking with Purdue, was extra straight forward and positive when he spoke to the LJC about the his recruitment.Here are some note-worthy quotes from the 5-star prospect:"I could see myself

Random Purdue Basketball Updates

2010-06-03T13:00:00.003-04:00

I've come across a few updates so instead of elaborating on them one by one in separate posts, I'll just briefly touch on them all at once.Robbie Hummel Injury UpdateRight after Hummel's ACL recovery was declared 'ahead of schedule,' a workout related injury nearly set off an eruption bigger than if JJ went pro. Luckily, his knee has been looked at by Dr. Shelbourne and it's A-Okay! I petitioned

Branden Dawson summer highlights

2010-06-01T17:15:00.004-04:00

We have awaken from our hibernation and we're ready to get back to doing what we do best: Keep you informed with all the latest Purdue Basketball news, rumors, and updates in a quick and grammatically questionable fashion.Understandably we will probably have to start from the ground up to win back your trust, but we're up for the challenge! I can't think of a more appropriate way to re-kick

Robbie Hummel guest blogs for Gooden

2010-05-18T08:52:00.004-04:00

When Fox Sports invited Robbie Hummel to guest blog, I doubt he expected to get such a detailed account of how JaJuan Johnson broke the news that he was staying in school.Hummel described the events in such detail, I can tell you how he performed on each and every one of his 9 holes during his recent gold outing. We also get a good feel for JJ's sense of humor during the ordeal:"So, JaJuan is

Rapheal Davis has 'Dunk of the Day'

2010-05-17T22:08:00.004-04:00

I'm still not sure how I stumbled upon this, but 6'5" Rapheal Davis posterized 6'6" Brock Ammons in a Houston, Texas AAU tournament. His slam was quickly followed by a quick technical foul for taunting...Davis has been playing point guard for his AAU team this summer, but clearly has no fear taking it to the hole. His versatility is likely making Matt Painter's mouth water.

Jay Simpson named IL's top graduating-sophomore

2010-05-14T13:38:00.008-04:00

2012 commitment Jay Simpson (Champaign Central) has added another badge of recognition to add to his growing list.The Chicago Sun Times has named Simpson the #1 player in Illinois for the class of 2012. Here is what they had to say about the graduating sophomore:#1. Jay Simpson, 6-8, PF, Champaign - There were many who questioned Purdue for the early offer to Simpson (including the Hoops Report),

Devin Davis Jr. shares Purdue visit experience

2010-05-12T14:24:00.003-04:00

Devin Davis Jr. is one of the newest faces to grace Matt Painter's growing list of 2013 targets.The 6'5" Warren Central forward has had an impressive start to his AAU season, earning all sorts of interest from high-major programs. Since Davis also happens to be a guest Blogger for the Indianapolis Star, he offers a very interesting perspective on his visit to West Lafayette. Davis discusses his

Purdue to play Virginia Tech in Big Ten/ACC Challenge

2010-05-10T18:27:00.004-04:00

According to Fox Sport's Jeff Goodman, Purdue is slated to play Virginia Tech in the Big Ten/ACC Challenge. After two consecutive challenges at Mackey, Purdue will definitely be traveling to Blacksburg, VA‎.The Hokies ended their season 25-9, failing to earn a birth to the NCAA tournament. They finished the season 3rd in the ACC.Sure we were hoping for the Sweet 16 (Duke) rematch, but it's

Waiting for Dawson

2010-05-10T07:58:00.005-04:00

A little over a week ago the Gary Post reported that Branden Dawson would have his college decision made up by September.Either that report was inaccurate or Branden Dawson has recently changed his mind.This interview with Dawson, the 6'5" forward firmly states he will be making his decision next spring. Sure it's reassuring to hear him continue to name Purdue first among his favorites, but

Loyalty

2010-05-10T07:50:00.003-04:00

As many of you have touched on, Johnson's final decision to stick around speaks volumes about his character. LJC's Jeff Washburn reiterated this point (among many other things):So, Keady was right all along. He told me that Johnson had a chance to change high schools but was too loyal. He had a chance to change AAU teams but was too loyal.At the end of the day, Johnson's loyalty to Painter,

JAJUAN JOHNSON COMING BACK!

2010-05-08T13:00:00.001-04:00

What a dramatic ending to a roller-coaster of a decision making process! According to FoxSports, it's unofficially official.After nearly a month carefully evaluating his options, JaJuan Johnson used nearly every available second thinking and rethinking.Now Johnson can spend a year gaining strength, finishing up his degree, and being a college kid. Oh, and there is also that whole Final Four thing

THE AGONY OF ANTICIPATION!

2010-05-07T15:28:00.004-04:00

In my many years of a Purdue Basketball fan, I cannot think of a single decision with such a massive impact to the program as the one sitting in front of JaJuan Johnson.With roughly 24 hours remaining, JaJuan Johnson has to make what is probably one of the biggest decisions of his life.After his workout with Houston, he will have a long plane trip home to reflect on what is important to him and

NBA scouts say stay in school

2010-05-06T06:57:00.005-04:00

Two NBA scouts who have seen JaJuan Johnson's workouts commented (off the record) on his strengths and weaknesses. They were also asked if they should stay or go:Scout 1: "He shouldn't even be thinking about keeping his name in the draft. He seriously faces the risk of being taken in the second round, where contracts are not guaranteed. Staying at Purdue -- where they'll be a good team next year

Katz and Painter talk Purdue Basketball

2010-05-04T20:27:00.004-04:00

Despite all the unpleasant words I’ve used to describe Andy Katz, he actually churned out a few thought provoking statements in his interview with Matt Painter. Katz and Matt Painter discuss the approaching JJ/Moore draft decision, as well as a few other interesting nuggets. For those of you too lazy to read the article, here are a couple highlights:But he understands the threshold has changed.

Branden Dawson's time-table is set

2010-05-01T20:03:00.003-04:00

According to the Gary Post's Mike Hutton,Branden Dawson has apparently set a time table to select his college choice:Branden Dawson will likely make a decision on his college choice in September, according to his coach Renaldo Thomas. Dawson plans to cut his list to four by the end of the summer. Purdue, Michigan State, Marquette and UCLA are among the schools recruiting him hardest. Read into

Props to Bango

2010-04-28T20:50:00.005-04:00

I apologize, I know this dunk is old news (and not Purdue related). I still feel that I need to pay homage to Bango, my new favorite NBA mascot. Enjoy it since you will never witness a mascot stunt as impressive (or insane) as this again.The sold out crowd witnessed the most exciting and relevant moment to ever take place in Bradley Center history.

Positive JJ news...maybe...

2010-04-28T10:09:00.005-04:00

Special thanks to Hammer & Rails for pointing out this little beacon of hope. Apparently Sports Illustated's Luke Winn seems to be in the know with NBA Scouts. If you're a Purdue fan, you're going to like his Likely Outcome:Multiple NBA scouts I spoke with said they expected both Johnson and Moore to return to school. Johnson is the only player with a real risk of leaving, but he, like Moore,

Jay Simpson best in state?

2010-04-27T15:19:00.004-04:00

With so much bad news early in the off season, it's time for something that will cheer you up!6'8" commitment Jay Simpson, who commonly referred to as a huge ball of potential, is starting to look like a real player...According to Joe Henricksen of the Sun Times, Simpson's play in Merrillville last weekend begs the question: Is he the best in 2012?Yes, the Class of 2012 has been ridiculed as