Takeaways: Purdue Fan Day Scrimmages

Saturday afternoon, Purdue’s new-look men’s basketball team held its annual public unveiling of sorts, conducting its Fan Day scrimmages open to the general public, consisting of three 12-minute intrasquad competitions.

A few deep thoughts and takeaways from Saturday’s scrimmages.

TREY KAUFMAN-RENN’S ALL-AROUND IMPACT QUOTIENT

Trey Kaufman-Renn is going to be Purdue’s low-post scoring destination now, but far from just that. Today’s scrimmages showed that, as the forward/center was excellent in pick-and-roll, making at least one short-roll runner, then later dishing out an assist to Myles Colvin for a three out of the same action.

His best pass of the day, though, was the high-post dart he threw to cutting Fletcher Loyer for a layup early in the first scrimmage.

Multiple coaches now have said that Kaufman-Renn’s assist numbers in competitive situations in practices have been among the best on a team that also has assist-mongerer Braden Smith. TKR’s four assists today — it should have been at least five – were second only to Smith’s six.

Here was a sequence, too, worth noting. Late in the final session, he hustled to jump in front of others for an offensive rebound, extending a possession that ended with him making a three-pointer over 7-foot-4 Daniel Jacobsen.

It is becoming evident that Kaufman-Renn’s ability to score in a bunch of different ways, from a bunch of different spots on the floor, but also pass in advantageous situations, is going to make him — and Purdue — pretty hard to guard.

CJ COX: SHOTMAKER

Freshman CJ Cox is going to play multiple guard positions for Purdue, but he is best categorized not as a point guard or a combo guard, but simply a scoring guard.

How much this matters this season remains to be seen, but Cox is already one of Purdue’s best shot creators, really able to create space for himself off the dribble to get to his reliable mid-range jumper or his three-pointer.

He made one-on-one jumpers all day Saturday en route to scoring 15 points on 6-of-9 shooting. He has been a bit turnover-prone, and that’s got to be an emphasis, because Purdue will need him and Gicarri Harris to be strong with the ball in their ball-handling minutes this season.

But the shot-making ability is really going to be an asset for Purdue.

A HARD DECISION LOOMS

Raleigh Burgess was excellent on Saturday — just excellent.

The freshman big man’s energy jumped out and translated most directly to the glass, where he flashed with a sprinting tip-in and later a putback dunk, finishing with seven rebounds and two blocked shots.

When classmate Jack Benter started getting into the paint in Game 3 and spraying the ball inside-out, Burgess made both his catch-and-shoot threes.

Purdue’s going to have to make a business decision on Burgess, whether to redshirt him or not, as Matt Painter alluded to. Purdue is not short on options in the frontcourt.

But Burgess looked on Saturday at least like someone who can play now. It just doesn’t mean he will.

These are the good problems to have that have helped Purdue become the consistent winner it’s become.

FLETCHER LOYER MAY BE ON THE VERGE

Fletcher Loyer‘s been a fine player for Purdue through two seasons, but there has been a real excitement around Purdue about him this preseason and through the summer. He scored a team-best 17 points Saturday.

Proven as one of the better three-point shooters in the country, Loyer’s going to meet game plans built to chase him off the three-point line, in which case his mid-range game looms large. He mustn’t pass on good looks from three, but he looked more aggressive than ever Saturday looking to drive the ball against closeouts, often with positive results, whether he scored or someone got a putback off a highly reboundable miss against a caved-in defense.

Loyer’s body is now much better suited to absorb contact, which is going to help him, too.

GICARRI HARRIS AND COX ARE HARD TO PLAY AGAINST

That’s a great compliment for defensive players, but the two freshmen have all the tools to be outstanding on D. There’s going to be some learning involved, as there always is, but their presence may be felt from Day 1, especially Harris, who’s physical, long and as dialed in defensively as can be for a freshman.

The two freshmen combined for seven steals Saturday.