Takeaways: Purdue's exhibition win over Grace College

Now, the games count. Following third-ranked Purdue’s 98-51 exhibition win over Grace College Wednesday night, the start of the regular season looms, starting Monday night against Samford.

Here’s our GoldandBlack.com post-game analysis from the Boilermakers’ second and final exhibition.

THE NEXT ITERATION OF ZACH EDEY

First off, the Boilermaker big man is looking like an absolute force in pick-and-roll with Braden Smith, and Smith’s shooting and scoring out of that action sure looks like it might unlock even more of Edey’s still-improving skill set. (The sophomore point guard looks ready to erupt this season.)

Their chemistry, and Edey’s potency, in Year 1 was kind of a surprise. Who’d have thought 7-foot-4, 300 pounds would move and make athletic plays the way he did last season? Purdue averaged nearly 1.7 points per possession last season using Edey in pick-and-roll, an astonishing number.

That’s an area Purdue will explore even more this season, to the benefit, you’d think, of Edey and certainly Smith, who scored 11 points with six assists and just one turnover in just 17 minutes Wednesday night, operating mostly out of PnR stuff.

Next … look, don’t get ahead of yourself on Edey turning into Jokic from three-point range, but he’ll take a few this season, when he’s wide open and stepping into the catch, again in pick-and-roll stuff. If you saw the three he attempted vs. Grace College — the one that would have turned Mackey Arena into a hydrogen bomb had it gone down — you saw a player who can make that shot.

MYLES COLVIN AND CAMDEN HEIDE ARE WHAT WE THOUGHT THEY WERE

So the great thing about this game for Purdue: It could just let guys go out there and play, within reason. Matt Painter played mad scientist with lineups, tinkered with positions and so forth. It afforded extended, consequence-free run for the two young wings.

You can ask then: Well, if Purdue treated Arkansas as a developmental experience, less concerned about the outcome, then why not ride the young guys in Fayetteville? Well, most coaches would worry about setting young players up to fail in such environments, thus endangering their confidence.

No such issue tonight.

Though the final numbers don’t really bear it out, both Heide and Colvin flashed their massive potential by making jumpers, rebounding and each making really athletic blocks.

Is it still going to be a process earning Painter’s “trust”? Sure. But Wednesday night reminded that that might be all that’s missing for both players at this young stage of their careers.

WILL BERG SHOWS GLIMPSES

It’s not likely redshirt freshman Will Berg plays much of a role this season, but he looks like a real prospect when he gets out there in public settings. The 7-foot-2 big man was 5-of-8 for 11 points and six rebounds in just 11-and-a-half minutes.

(Keep in mind how much of a challenge small-school small ball can be for giants.)

He’s moving exponentially better than he did at this time a year ago — thanks to off-season foot surgery that removed a robust spur — and he too took a three Wednesday night, missing, but looking good doing it.

Not bad for a player Purdue can essentially redshirt again this season.

CULTIVATING VERSATILITY AND, BY EXTENSION, DEPTH

Wednesday night’s game had a pick-up game feel at times. Purdue got extended minutes for Ethan Morton at point guard, a few minutes for Heide at the 4, and lots of minutes for Caleb Furst at center. Through two exhibitions, Purdue has deployed pretty much every 4-5 combo it could.

Purdue has a few guys playing a multiple positions, helpful (if functional) when it comes to establishing depth with versatility over sheer numbers.

Could depth be a strength for Purdue this season? Sure. But it’s also going to ride its best guys, and does still need this presumed depth to prove itself when there are real stakes.