
NEWMAN!
The bench is struggling.
Like, astronomically, bad.
Last night, our bench scored 6 points, all at the hands of Trevion Williams.
Furst, 0. IT, 0. Morton 0.
You need some bench production during this time of year, starters are tired, especially EHJ and Ivey, who log over 35 minutes regularly.
Luckily for us, we have a former 4 star sharpshooter, that is 6-6, 200 pounds and has started 24 career games for our Purdue Boilermakers.
(Re)-Enter, Brandon Newman.
Newman started 23 games during the 2020-2021 season, in which he averaged 8 points per game, on 38% 3 point shooting. His long athletic build can guard multiple guard positions and could maybe, just maybe, be the spark that re-ignites the bench play.
It just seems like, we have quit on Newman.
I don’t get why.
Sure, he struggled in early January and some in December, he can’t be a point guard, but, he sure does not mind at least TRYING to shoot the ball. Last night, it seemed like we had a bunch of guys wanting to not be the center of attention, one too many passes, which often leads to a turnover.
Brandon Newman came to Purdue, RS, started 23 games and then has essentially been cast off by Coach Painter for… Isaiah Thompson. The same IT, that did not score in the loss to MSU, or score in the loss to Wisconsin.
The same one, that got put in a blender multiple times by Hepburn last night.
I am not saying you have to bench IT, but I am saying… It is time to give Brandon Newman another chance. Maybe there is some underlying issues we do not know about between coach and player.
Maybe his attitude has changed, I am not sure. Nor do I really care. What this team needs is a spark off the bench. With the offense struggling for what has seemed like a month now, where else is there to turn?
Why not give him another chance, maybe he could be the guy that brings us to the next level. We see him shooting in the gym after games, staying late after practices.
Again, I am not sure what has happened. But we could sure use the 38% 3 point shooter and extra 8 points per game badly.
Why Not?