The Good and Bad From Purdue Basketball's First Two Games

The first week of Purdue basketball is in the books, with the Boilermakers posting wins over Evansville and Oakland to start the season 2-0. Apparently, the wins weren't enough to impress the Associated Press voters, who dropped Purdue from No. 1 to No. 2 in the latest top-25 rankings.

Ultimately, those rankings don't matter. The only thing Purdue cares about right now is improving from the first week. And it has to show some growth quick, as they travel to No. 8 Alabama on Thursday for a top-10 showdown.

Before we get to that game, let's take a look back at Purdue's first week and highlight some of the positives and negatives from the first two contests.

The Good

Jack Benter's play

Purdue Boilermakers guard Jack Benter (14) shoots the ball | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Stepping in for an All-Big Ten forward for the nation's top-ranked team is not an easy task, but Benter has done an excellent job in Trey Kaufman-Renn's absence through the first two games. The redshirt freshman has scored 11 points in each of the first two games, has grabbed 13 total rebounds, and is averaging 2.5 assists per game.

What has stood out most about Benter's play is his ability to find the basketball and make high-IQ plays. Whether it's catching-and-shooting the basketball, locating an open teammate for a good shot, or chasing down a loose ball, Benter seems to make the right decisions more times than not.

Seniors stepping up

Purdue Boilermakers guard Fletcher Loyer (2) in the second half | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

In Tuesday's opener against Evansville, Fletcher Loyer couldn't miss a shot. He scored a career-high 30 points, making 7-of-10 shots from three-point range and knocking down 8-of-11 from the floor. That's an incredibly efficient day for the Fort Wayne native.

When Purdue was struggling against Oakland on Friday, Braden Smith decided to take over the game, especially early in the second half. The reigning Big Ten Player of the Year finished the contest with 20 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds, providing a much-needed spark for the Boilers.

Purdue's seniors have to be leaders this season, and they've certainly started the season off on the right foot.

Oscar Cluff getting more comfortable

Purdue Boilermakers center Oscar Cluff (45) dunks the ball | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

There's certainly room for improvement, but Cluff seems to be getting more comfortable on the floor with each game. The senior transfer really seemed to struggle in Purdue's two exhibition games, but he has played with more physicality and instinct in the first two regular-season contests.

Cluff was particularly good in the second half of the Oakland game, scoring 12 points, going 4-of-4 from the floor, and collecting five rebounds in those 20 minutes. That's the effort the Boilermakers need out of the senior center, especially on the glass.

The Bad

Struggles on the glass

Purdue Boilermakers center Daniel Jacobsen (12) shoots the ball | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

As good as Cluff has been on the boards through two games, averaging 9.5 boards per contest, the Boilermakers have struggled on the glass. In the season opener, the rebounding battle was even, with both Purdue and Evansville finishing the game with 20 boards. The Purple Aces pulled down an impressive 20 offensive rebounds.

In Friday's win over Oakland, Purdue was outrebounded 39-37, with the Golden Grizzlies grabbing 12 offensive rebounds. Nine of those came in the first half.

Grabbing rebounds is only half the battle for Cluff and Daniel Jacobsen. Both need to do a better job of boxing out and keeping opponents off the glass, as well.

Defending the paint

Evansville Purple Aces guard Bryce Quinet dribbles the ball while Purdue Boilermakers guard C.J. Cox | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Oakland was able to attack Purdue in the painted area well on Friday night. The Grizzlies scored 40 of their 77 points in the painted area. The Boilermakers are always trying to keep opponents out of that area, forcing them to take long two-pointers and shoot from behind the arc.

Cluff and Jacobsen did a solid job protecting the rim, combining for seven blocks in the game. But Oakland still had way too many opportunities from close range. That's another area that could really benefit from the return of Kaufman-Renn, as he gives the Boilermakers a traditional four to play alongside the center spot.

Lack of turnovers created

Evansville Purple Aces guard Keishon Porter (1) holds the ball while Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) defends | Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images

Purdue's defense isn't really built to force teams into a lot of turnovers. Instead, the goal is to force difficult shots and collect rebounds. But when the Boilers have struggled in that area, getting more pressure on the ball could potentially help this team.

In the first two games, Evansville and Oakland combined for 19 total turnovers. That number doesn't need to be ridiculously high for Purdue to be successful, but creating more opportunities for itself on the defensive end would be beneficial.