Act fast, these things are flying off the shelf (mostly by IU fans who don't get it)!

Sure it's the wrong sport, but I'm not going to waste valuable photoshop time making fun of IU'sworthless football team.

via assets.sbnation.com

After a record setting blow-out against NIU and a near loss to a HPU, it's difficult to ascertain who this team really is.

While the answer is obviously somewhere down the middle, Purdue's participation in this years Puerto Rico Tip-Off will indicate which side of the continuum this team leans. They arrive in Puerto Rico an unknown quantity, but they will leave with an excellent assessment of how they handle both road games and against high-level competition.

Purdue will face immediate adversity against a tough Iona team. Much like High Point, they are up against an experienced and well coached program.The Gaels finished with a 25-11 record last season, 2nd in the MAAC (13-5), and runners up to Santa Clara in the CIT finals. 

I'm not going to lie, Iona is terrifying on paper.

Ioana Gaels
2010-11 Record: 15-12, 13-5 MAAC
TV: ESPNU; ESPN3 (Play-by-Play: Jon Sciambi and Hubert Davis or Doug Sherman and Doug Gottlieb)
Purdue All-Time Record Against the MAAC: 4-0

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In the wake of High Point's near-fatal assault on Purdue, it's certainly within reason to be a little concerned terrified for the future of this team.

After all, High Point was supposed to be a glorified exhibition game and a last minute tune-up for the Puerto Rico Tipoff.

Unfortunately Purdue left for Puerto Rico a day early.

It doesn't really take crime scene investigator to piece together the issues that led to Purdue's horrendous play. In fact, the box score (LINK) alone should provide enough material for Matt Painter to schedule a season's worth or practices.

Travis laid out Purdue's issues nicely: Playing against the zone, playing with a sense of urgency, and free throws are all glaring mistakes that need to be corrected. I would also add feeding the post (even at a minimal capacity), better movement off the ball, and doing a better job playing to their strengths (there is no reason why Kelsey Barlow should be taking a baseline three when the game is on the line).

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Mackey Arena's historic re-dedication game against NIU gave Purdue fans plenty of reasons to be amped for the 2011-2012 season. It is, however, just a single point in a much larger data set.  Until we see how this team responds to a variety of situations and challenges it's will be difficult to understand the true personality of this year's team.

But as first impressions go, this year's team couldn't have had much better introduction. 

Purdue hopes to have similar success tonight against High Point University. The Panthers are coming fresh off of a 95-52 win against (DIII) Bridgewater. Unlike the young NIU team Purdue faced Friday night, the Panthers have an experienced core of upperclassmen and return three of their top scorers and leading rebounder from last year. 

High Point Panthers

2010-11 Record: 12-19, 7-11 Big South

TV: Big Ten Network (Play-by-Play: Eric Collins Color: Keno Davis)

All-Time Record Against Big Ten Teams: 0-3 

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Thanks everyone for joining. We're still getting the kinks out of this, but it seems like an effective way to touch on a variety of topics. As a reader suggested, not easy to carry on a single conversation, but good tool for a Q/A format.

If you joined the chat, send us your feedback. How can we make it better in the future?

You can access the transcript here. 

After work you should kick off you shoes crack open a beer, and join our basketball live chat here at Hammer and Rails tonight at 8:00 PM ET. 

We'll be talking about all-things Purdue basketball including the class of 2012, tomorrow's game against NIU, the schedule, the Mackey Arena renovation, or anything else anyone wants to discuss.

If we run out of topics, we'll be offering free relationship advice. See ya there!

The name Anthony Johnson might not ring a bell to the causual Purdue fan. I know that I have more luck drawing a connection by referring to him as ‘the guy that sat next to Robbie Hummel last season.'

After a year of private tutoring from the college basketball's top student-teacher, Anthony Johnson is ready to introduce himself the Boiler Nation. With combination of his skill-set and favorable circumstances, there is a strong possibility that Johnson will make a name for himself  in very short order.

Despite preseason questions regarding his shot selection and defense, it's clear that Anthony Johnson is doing all of the right things to earn playing time this season. After having his wings clipped for a year, Anthony Johnson wasted no time making an impact in his two preseason games. Johnson recorded a collective 17 points (7-17), 6 rebounds, 2 steals, 2 assists, 1 block and 2 TO's.

Above all, Anthony Johnson has demonstrated that he can create his own shot using his quickness and athleticism. While he is primarily known as a deadly three point shooter (he shot 48% behind the arc as a HS senior), he is also deceptively fast and can slice his way into the lane with little hesitation. He has the athleticism to fight his way to the rim against bigger players, but he also has a reliable floater and pull-up jumper. Despite his rail thin frame, his athleticism allows him to mix it up down low with bigger players and draw fouls.

With the absence of Moore and JJ, Purdue will desperately need someone that can create offense and take some pressure off of Hummel. He might not be the first person Painter will use to fill this role, but I think Johnson will get his opportunity in short order. It is my opinion that Anthony Johnson's ability to both stretch the defense with his range and create his own shot could make him a valuable asset to the offense.

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I was 500 words deep into my heartwarming 'we shouldn't give up hope' post when the news finally broke. 

We know the feeling all too well. Always the bridesmaid; never the bride.

After a fierce recruiting battle, Gary Harris has decided to take his talents to Michigan State University. To their credit, Tom Izzo recruited Harris the longest and built a very solid relationship that ultimately ended up sealing the deal.

Harris selected MSU over Purdue, Kentucky, and Indiana.

And as much as the decision stings, I hold no ill will towards Gary Harris or his family. They took their time, gathered all the necessary information and made a very informed decision. At the end of the day, all you can ask for is that a prospect gives Purdue an honest and equal look. Beyond that, it's up to the kid and his family to determine what's best for him. And if there is no denying that they made a very, very informed decision.

I understand there will be a grieving process among the Purdue fans and that it will inevitably manifest itself as doom and gloom comments, message board posts, and tweets. But keep in mind Purdue was lucky to do as well as they did in GH's recruitment considering they came so late to the table. Less than a year ago GH seemed like nothing but a pipe dream. However, Matt Painter never gave up and made a pretty big splash in the recruitment process. In my eyes, it was all found money. It was widely reported that it was a 50/50 tossup following his visit to MSU prior to his decision. That's something to be said considering the competition.

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Purdue closed out its exhibition season with a 65-49 win over Southern Indiana University. While the outcome was never in question, Purdue will have plenty of things to work on in practice this week.

Purdue played well enough to keep the game out of reach, but also outlined a few items that need to be addressed by the start of the season. This is partly to be expected as Painter is in the process of of identifying lineups for various situations. Either way, there are still many areas that need to be improved upon.

Kelsey Barlow led all scorers with 12 points (5-7 shooting) including 2-3 behind the arc. Robbie Hummel had a well-rounded game with 8 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks in 16 minutes of play. Terone Johnson and Anthony Johnson added 10 and 8 points respectively. As a team, Purdue shot 25-61 (41%).

(click to enlarge)

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Gary Harris, the #1 rated poker player in the class of 2012, is heading into the home stretch of his recruitment.

If the headline didn't telegraph it enough, I would like to start out confessing that I will bring nothing new to the table in my Gary Harris coverage. If you are hoping for some juicy gossip, I 'd be more than happy to direct you to a variety of stalkers that can tell you what he's having for lunch or what HSE's chemistry teachers overheard about the senior standout.

 I've made a concerted effort to avoid throwing my hat in the ring on this one.

Despite the fact that adding "Gary Harris" to a website is s page-count goldmine, there hasn't been much I can add to the subject beyond what is already being (over) circulated.

I've followed the recruitment of many high-profile recruits and I can say will full confidence that this recruitment has been the most disciplined and process driven of any recruit's I've covered. They've handled their official visits in a vacuum, giving the media nothing but respectful yet vague quotes that are impossible to embellish or slant.

The information dearth as led many self-titled recruiting "gurus" to either fabricate their own ‘sources,' or cite the opinion of a 6th grade AAU coaches disguised under the term the AAU circle. People who know someone close to the family have been catapulted into message board stardom by regurgitating their baseless opinions. The rumors surrounding Harris's recruitment have been so ridiculous, the only conclusion that can be made is that Gary Harris is undoubtedly committing to Purdue, Michigan State, Indiana, and Kentucky.

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Yesterday we posted highlights of Rapheal Davis's first game with his new La Lumiere team. Today we bring you a first look at his teammate 2012 commitment forward Jay Simpson playing in the Vincennes Jamboree.

Thanks again to Joey Eberhardt at Indy HS Hoops (@IndyHSHoops) for the footage. 

(More analysis after the jump)

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Here's a first look at 2012 commitment guard Rapheal Davis playing with with his new La Lumiere team at the 2011 Vincennes Jamboree last weekend. 

I try to avoid drawing conclusions from highlight videos, but it's clear Davis (#35) does a great job using his size and strength to get to the basket. Thankfully, his solid free throw shooting compliments this aspect of his game perfectly. 

Thanks to our friend Joey Eberhardt at Indy HS Hoops (@IndyHSHoops) for the great footage. 

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Note: I had this post nearly complete before I realized that Travis had already selfishly covered it. Consequently, I've decided that we can just call today AJ Hammons Day and cover every possible angle of his commitment. Translation: I'm too damn stubborn to scrap 2 hours of work. Enjoy the overkill....And enjoy your weekend.

While it was no secret that Purdue has been in very good shape in the recruitment of AJ Hammons, the timing of his commitment seemingly came out of left field.

Hammons was scheduled to visit during the last weekend of October and has previously flirted with extending his decision to the spring singing period. Needless to say, it was anybody's guess when he'd pull the trigger. 

The timing of AJH's commitment definitely caught me by surprise. Consequently, I have not had a whole lot of time to truly process the implications. I have many scattered (yet incomplete) thoughts on the subject so I'm going to go old-school PBB style and give you some scattered Unsolicited Insights on Matt Painter's latest pickup.

But before you dive in head first into the abyss that is my awkward (ok, horrible) writing style, enjoy this video. It was filmed this summer so it's definitely the most accurate portrayal of where AJH is today from a development standpoint.

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While Travis Carroll's role was limited his freshman year, he proved that he brings a lot to the table. Many fans, including myself, questioned if he'd be capable handling the speed and intensity needed to succeed at the next level as a true freshmen.  Surprisingly, Carroll proved doubters wrong as he was a consistent contributor in his freshman debut and did exactly what he was called upon to do. 

While Matt Painter didn't ask for much beyond rebounding and playing tough defense in Carroll's first year, his role will dramatically change as a sophomore. While no one expects Carroll to fill the void left by JaJuan Johnson by himself, he'll be asked to anchor an largely inexperienced front court. 

Travis Carroll's ability to handle the challenge will be a major determinant of Purdue's success for next few seasons.

...No pressure though... 

Travis Carroll - Sophomore

Hometown: Danville, IN

PF/C

6'9, 231 lbs

2010-11 Projection: Starter

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Note: I'd like to preface with an apology for my recent disappearance. Between my job (I work for a big 'American' bank so you can imagine the climate), my family, and some fierce battles with the GMAT /grad school apps, I have had little disposable time to contribute to H&R. Thankfully, things are calming down a bit and I should be in full force before the season begins.To all of the loyal grammar Nazis that I have neglected during my hiatus: You can all crack off the cap to your red pens and prepare for a new season of run-on sentences, and ambiguous pronouns, and even misplaced modifiers.  We're in for a record breaking year!

So where was I? Ah yes, let the countdown begin! 

55 long Days until Purdue Basketball!

After impatiently waiting through his redshirt season, many fans expected a little more out of redshirt freshman Sandi Marcius's first season of live action. He demonstrated that he's still learning the game and needs to be able to do a few things before he can be leaned upon for any major minutes. Keep in mind that he only started picking up basketball in junior high, so you can't take anything for granted with respect to his development.  Regardless, Marcius is an aircraft carrier of a human being and is a giant ball of energy. If/when he gets over the difficult learning curve he could be a force in the lane. While he won't likely be part of the regular rotation this season, he does have size that could be a big asset in certain match ups. 

Sandi Marcius - Redshirt Sophomore

Hometown: Nedelisce, Croatia

Power Forward

6'9, 260 lbs

2010-11 Projection: Outside regular rotation

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The Big Ten has released the schedule for all games televised by the ESPN and CBS networks. 

While we are still awaiting the release of the  full 2011-2012 Big Ten schedule, we can hold ourselves over by taking a look at some of Purdue's nationally televised games (not televised on the BTN). 

Date    Game          Time       TV

DECEMBER   

31 Illinois at Purdue 4 p.m.   ESPN2      

JANUARY

12 Wisconsin at Purdue 7 p.m.   ESPN/2

21 Purdue at Michigan State Noon    ESPN

 24 Michigan at Purdue 7 p.m.   ESPN

26 Nebraska at Iowa 7 p.m.   ESPNU

28 Purdue at Northwestern 2 p.m.   ESPN/2

FEBRUARY   

7 Purdue at Ohio State 9 p.m.   

Michigan State at Purdue 1 p.m.   CBS wildcard

25/26 Purdue at Michigan 4/1 p.m. CBS/ESPN wildcard

MARCH   

8 Big Ten Tournament Game 3 5:30 p.m. ESPN2

Big Ten Tournament Game 4 25 min. after Game 3 ESPN2

9 Big Ten Tournament Game 5 Noon    ESPN

Big Ten Tournament Game 6 25 min. after Game 5 ESPN   

10 Big Ten Tournament Game 9 1:40 p.m. CBS Sports

Big Ten Tournament Game 10 25 min. after Game 9 CBS Sports

11 Big Ten Tournament Game 11 3:30 p.m. CBS Sport

You can check out the complete ESPN/CBS Schedule after the jump.

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It's been a popular assumption that A.J. Hammons and Gary Harris are Matt Painter's only outstanding targets for the class of 2012.

But if 6'10 Stefan Jankovic's final list is any indication, Matt Painter might be casting a wider net than we all expected.

Purdue has made Jankovic's final list along with Wake Forest, Georgetown, Florida State, and Missouri.

Looking at his highlights, it's easy to see why Painter would pursue the Huntington Prep (West Virginia) standout. He has athleticism similar to Donnie Hale, but plays a more European style of basketball. (And he's 3 inches taller.)

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Deep in our subconscious, we all knew this is how it was going to end.

We can be thankful that the decision is not going to drag out any longer, and understand that this exemplifies the risk Matt Painter takes when he recruits both young and out of state players.

It doesn't really matter what internal/external factors contributed to Derek Willis's de-commitment since the only thing that matters is that he's not fully committed Purdue University. Anything beyond this is immaterial.

It's crazy enough making such a an important life altering decision a the age of 16, but having to deal with the insanity of being a basketball star between Louisville and Kentucky is something few people have can even remotely understand the pressures that come along with it.

And to be completely honest, I don't blame Calipari or Pitino. Sure I would be happy to see them retire from coaching, but if they can draw kids in using nothing more than indirect interest, there isn't going to be much anyone to can to stop them from jumping ship. This should serve as a clear reminder that the term commitment is a subjective and immeasurable word that seems to have a very different meaning among top-100 recruits. (I highly recommend reading that article; it's a very interesting study.)

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I don't have a whole lot of time here, but I wanted post something on this Derek Willis situation. And I must warn you that my opinions on the matter are not at rosy as the standard TMills outlook. Keep in mind that I am privy to the same information as all of you so take this all for what it's worth. I would probably be best served sleeping on this post, but you are going to get my unfiltered initial thoughts.

Any questions? No? Moving on.

After laying everything out, it just doesn't look good. Although he's still technically committed to Purdue at the moment, this has that ominous feeling when you know a breakup is coming. At least Branden Dawson's sudden commitment to MSU rippled it off like a band-aid. 

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When class of 2012 commitment Rapheal Davis made his college decision in 2009, he was only a (FW) South Side HS freshman.

He was a great pickup for Matt Painter, but lots can happen in three years so it has been long and uncomfortable wait for him to sign on the dotted line. I've learned the hard way to never count my chickens before they hatch.

Fast forward to the present and we can rest assure that Davis's commitment is still firm as it was in 2009. He's had a great summer and is less than a week away from moving to La Lumiere Prep School (with future teammate Jay Simpson) for senior year. 

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Although 2012 commitment Ronnie Johnson (PG - 5'10") arrived to the national scene fashionably late, his performance during the July evaluation period has demonstrated that the inflation of his stock is well justified.

The talent that he's been surrounded by at North Central has allowed him to perfect his role as a distributor. He's played along side some of the best guards in the country, allowing him to develop a team-first mentality. The development of his defense, which is suffocating despite his 5'10" stature, along with his improved scoring prowess, has elevated Johnson in the upper echelons of his recruiting class.

While many initially questioned Matt Painter's scholarship offer to Ronnie Johnson, a closer look has put any concerns to bed. The more I see him play, the more I can say with confidence that he is a low-risk, high reward prospect. He's the type of player that you feel confident that he'll make the right decisions when the ball is in his hand and he'll make those around him better.  Considering the talent that Purdue has on deck, Ronnie Johnson will need to be the catalyst that ensure that it molds together on the court successfully. 

Okay, that might be a little hyperbolic, but it's important to have someone on the floor with a high basketball IQ that can make good decisions.

I feel strongly that Ronnie Johnson will be that man. 

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2012 commitment Jay Simpson has reinforced what we’ve known about him for sometime now: he has the tools and skill set to be a really, really good player at the next level.

For a kid that’s 6’9" and (likely over) 240 lbs, he has unnatural handles and is a very legitimate threat on the perimeter. While he isn’t going to stun anyone with athleticism, he has a bag full of tricks that will create mismatches at the next level.

The first thing I noticed about Simpson is that he’s playing about 15-20 lbs lighter than his was in his high school season,  an indication that he's working hard to improve his body. On the court, he still falls into some of the bad habits that he's been known to commit, but he’s clearly improving upon the areas that need the most development.

Simpson demonstrated that he is an elite prospect, without a doubt. Unfortunately, he still tends to fade into the background and becomes minor accessory to the team, instead of the high impact player that he's capable of being. It’s worth noting that his Illinois Wolves AAU team is one of the best in the state, if not nation, and is full of high-level talent. During July, everyone is trying to get noticed and improve their own stock, so it's difficult to assess how players will respond in a typical game situation. Either way, his size and skill-set alone should make Simpson a much bigger impact player whenever he’s on the court.

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As many of you know, July Evaluation Period starts tomorrow (July 7th) and will be an excellent opportunity to get feedback on the progress and development of all the future Boilermakers and targets. The Live period means that coaches can observe recruits during July 6-15 and July 22-31. This period is followed by  the "AugustComplain About the Rankings Period."

The first event starts in Indianapolis with the Adidas Invitational (July 6-9). Despite being only it's second year,it will be one biggest tournaments in the nation and will draw nearly every high-major college basketball coach and scout to the north side of Indianapolis.

For those of you hoping to catch a future recruit in action, Ronnie Johnson, Basil Smotherman, and Derek Willis will be participating in the event.  Here is a cheat sheet for RJ, BS, and DW's pool-play:

Note: Derek Willis will be playing at Westfield High School (not Middle School).

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I'm in the process of writing a piece evaluating the different school options for Gary Harris. Instead of evaluating the established criteria myself, I am engaging bloggers from each team to help so that I have a more accurate (and subjectively objective) overview from "experts" themselves.

I started with just getting overall thoughts on their team's recruitment of Harris. Here is a paraphrase of what I have gathered thus far.

IU - Feels confident if they had the room they should be able to land him, but it's likely they won't have any attrition by the time Harris will decide.

MSU - While the wings shouldn't be top priority, Harris is a talent MSU has been lacking. But feels IU and Louisville are in the best shape with ND & Purdue behind the top 3.

Kentucky - GH has been speaking with different assistant coaches, but he's currently 3rd priority (behind Archie Goodwin and Recardo Ledo). DSR and Terry Henderson are also targets but have not been offered.

I am still anxiously waiting to hear Louisville and ND's perspective, although I am not sure there are any legitimate ND bloggers out there.

But on a side note, as I survey the experts of various schools it's becoming more and more abundant that a.) no one feels confident that they'll land him and b.) no one really knows anything.

Just thought it was interesting and worth sharing...

So consider this a teaser to a big collaborative post on Gary Harris and his options. It might be a ways out since I have to work around other blogger's schedules and if Harris is in no hurry, why should I?

Here is the updated scholarship grid.

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2012 PG Kyle Molock de-commitment shouldn't come as too much of a surprise considering that talent that has been recruited around him.

After Molock was sidelined with a torn ACL/MCL early last summer, Painter has signed 2013 PG Bryson Scott and 2012 PG Ronnie Johnson, each projecting to play ahead of Molock. While I am confident Painter didn't force him to de-commit, It wouldn't take a rocket scientist to see that his chances of being much more than a role player were slim.

In my (unwanted) opinion, this move benefits all parties involved. Purdue obviously had work to do with the scholarship situation and Molock can pursue a school in which can play a bigger role. Is that opinion going to get challenged by those claiming he was "Creaned"? Abso-frickin-lutely. But I stand by the fact that this situation worked out well for both Purdue and Molock.

A team needs hard working role playes, and with Purdue's luck with injuries, it's wasn't beyond the realm of possibility that he could have worked his way into the starting lineup. Role players have lots of opportunity in Painter's system. And for that, it's unfortunate because Kyle Molock could have certainly been a value to the team. Prior to his injury he was the top rated PG in his class in Ohio. By all accounts he was healthy heading into July AAU.

The news has been out for less than 20 minutes (as I write this) and the real story line is already surfacing. Purdue now has 12 scholarships next summer and can add another member to the class of 2012.

It's no secret that Purdue is in a dog fight with MSU, Louisville, and IU to land Gary Harris and this certainly can't hurt Purdue's odds. I can't speculate if this actually makes a difference as most teams will make room for the 2012 standout either way, but it does remove some of the ambiguity marks pertaining to the future rosters.

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Purdue has unveiled next season's non-conference schedule in it's entirety:

11/1 - vs. (Exhibition) Northern State
11/6 - vs. (Exhibition) Southern Indiana
11/11 -1 vs. Northern Illinois
11/14 - vs. High Point
11/17 -20  - Puerto Rico Shootout (San Juan)
11/26 - vs. Coppin State
11/29 - vs. Miami (Big Ten/ACC Challenge)
12/3 - at Xavier
12/7 - vs. Western Carolina
12/10 - vs. Eastern Michigan
12/17 - vs. Butler (Crossroads Classic)
12/20 - vs. IPFW

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