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Purdue sophomore big man Raleigh Burgess will redshirt this season

On3 imageby: Brian Neubert18 minutes agobrianneubert
Purdue's Raleigh Burgess
Purdue's Raleigh Burgess (Chad Krockover)

After undergoing springtime leg surgery and missing the entire summer, Purdue sophomore Raleigh Burgess will redshirt this season, Coach Matt Painter said Thursday in advance of the exhibition game at Kentucky.

The move comes as no surprise as Burgess returns from being idled to find a Boilermaker frontcourt stacked by newcomers and returnees. Non-freshmen can not play in exhibitions and still redshirt as freshmen can.

Burgess, a forward/center combo who heavily considered redshirting last season — it might have lasted a week, as center Daniel Jacobsen was injured right away — played in 31 games last season, but fell completely out of the rotation to end the season while battling problems in his lower right leg. He underwent surgery immediately after the season and didn’t return to full activity level until fall practice began.

WILL THERE BE MORE REDSHIRTS?

Maybe.

Painter says he generally has preliminary conversations with players about the possibility, then gives them time — and in the case of freshmen, games — to decide.

This year’s only other real possibility is freshman Antione West, who coaches have raved about all summer, while also almost certainly lamenting in private the practicalities of finding him enough playing time to justify burning the year.

As it was last season with Burgess, ultimately it will be for the player to decide, a decision that will have to come before the season opener Nov. 4 vs. Evansville.

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