Purdue wired to handle prosperity; more from Big Ten media day in Chicago

ROSEMONT, Ill. — Purdue’s built a string of elite teams the past several years who were ar least in part fueled by angst.

A year ago it was the humbling loss to a 16 seed that drove discussion around the Boilermakers. For years before, it was the elusive Final Four and “winning the big one.” For Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer it was doubt about their size that tweaked them, same as it was for Zach Edey, college basketball’s all-time greatest dumb-take magnet.

Matt Painter has clearly fared well recruiting self-motivated people driven by winning, but if that extra push is ever needed, if Purdue needs slight, it’s hard to come by now.

The Boilermakers are going to be top-five, at worst, when the polls come out. It was the runaway favorite in the preseason in the Big Ten. Smith is building a trophy case on par with Edey’s. Trey Kaufman-Renn is a preseason All-American, too.

If Purdue has been battling doubters, it’s won.

“It’s just that we all came back for a reason,” Smith said Thursday at Big Ten media day in Chicago. “We understand the players we have, the staff that we have, and what we’re capable of accomplishing, and that drives us. We understand that after (the FDU loss), we don’t have that kind of motivation where we have to prove the world wrong and have the kind of sophomore year we had. It’s not like we tried to lose freshman year or in the Sweet 16 last year. We always try to go to the Final Four and make it to the national title game. That’s going to be our goal every single night.”

There’s a finality to this season, too, as one of the great senior classes in Purdue history finishes up together. One of the prevailing topics around Purdue on Thursday in Chicago reflected the times: Its ability to keep the same team together for several years.

“Just knowing its our last chance, our last dance, our last go-around playing together gives us a lot of motivation,” Kaufman-Renn said. “When I redshirted (Sasha Stefanovic) told me, ‘This will be a great decision. Make your last year your best year.’ For me, I’ve always kind of had that in my mind. It’s truly what I want, for myself — I’ve put a lot of hard work in — but also for these guys and this fan base.”

“Now it’s just proving people wrong and winning for Coach Painter; people still doubt him when he’s one of the best coaches in the country,” Fletcher Loyer said.

Is anyone doubting Purdue, though?

“You read Twitter,” Loyer joked.

BRADEN SMITH’S WORKLOAD

Smith, who plays as hard and fast as anyone in college basketball on offense, played 37 minutes per game last season and went all 40 in nine of his last 15 games, that workload being reason for some analytical introspection within the program this off-season.

Painter and Smith were each asked if trimming back his minutes burden might be a goal this season.

The answer: A resounding nope.

“I never felt like at the end of games it was a big deal,” Painter said. “Maybe the wear and tear through the course of the season, I just don’t see how four minutes of playing is going to make a difference. If that’s the case, then scale back your practice.”

Purdue does scale back practice as seasons progress.

Omer Mayer does give Purdue more of a playmaking element at point guard than it had last season, but that apparently doesn’t mean Smith will be coming out more. He doesn’t want to.

“I’d like to stay in every minute I can,” said Smith, who played 199 of Purdue’s 200 postseason minutes in March. “That’s not me being funny, it’s just how I am, how I am as a competitor. It’s not me not trusting anybody else, just how I am. I want to be on the floor.”

Purdue did take measures in-season to manage Smith. It moved him off the ball on offense frequently to give him a few seconds of stasis while some else brought the ball up. He also was freed of the responsibility of guarding opponents’ point guard full-court.

Smith and Mayer are expected to play together at times this season, but haven’t all that much in practice to this point, Smith said, because of split-squad competitive format.

Mayer has faced an acclimation period to American college basketball after being a pro in Israel, but has shown some very positive signs lately.

“I think it’s just a matter of time and playing games before he gets really comfortable and starts helping us out big-time,” Smith said.

THE BACKUP 4 MEN

When Kaufman-Renn leaves games, his vacant forward position will be manned by either senior Liam Murphy or redshirt freshman Jack Benter, both of them more perimeter-oriented, each of them very gifted shooters.

It will be a very different look.

Is there value in a different look even if it means a great player is (probably) on the bench?

“I think there is value in a productive look,” Painter said. “I think there’s value in an efficient look.”

Smith knows both well, as he jokes often about how Painter tends to put him and Kaufman-Renn opposite one another in practice. Both are three-point weapons, but Benter’s guard skills can change Purdue, too.

But Painter always makes mention of challenges that come with limited minutes, especially for jump-shooters.

“It’s a hard role, those guys who play 10-15 minutes or 8-10 minutes. It’s hard to be yourself in a short period of time.

“There’s not a lot there, but I think it’s a situation where they’re both going to (help) win games for us.”