What Matt Painter Liked From Centers Oscar Cluff, Daniel Jacobsen in Purdue's Opener

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The production Purdue gets from the center position has been a primary talking point through the offseason. How much does the combination of Oscar Cluff and Daniel Jacobsen help the Boilermakers on both ends of the floor? The two bigs showed what they can do in Tuesday's 82-51 win over Evansville, with plenty of room for improvement.

Cluff finished the game with nine points and 10 rebounds in 19 minutes of action. Jacobsen logged 21 minutes and scored 11 points and grabbed eight boards. It was a solid effort from both players, especially in a season opener.

"Just the combination. Sometimes people don't look at it that way, but I've always looked at it that way," coach Matt Painter said. "If one guy played 40 minutes and got 20 points and 18 rebounds, everybody would go crazy, right? Like, damn, that's impressive. Well, that's what they got."

Yes, for two full years, Purdue had a player in Zach Edey who finished games with a 20-point, 18-rebound stat line without much of a problem. Neither Cluff nor Jacobsen possesses that same level of dominance, but collectively, they produced at a high level.

It could have been even better, too. Both let a few scoring chances slip through their fingers. That was especially true for Jacobsen, who had multiple looks at the rim but couldn't convert.

"I thought Daniel had some opportunities that he'd like to have back, just around the rim that were pretty close," Painter said. "Daniel just needs to stay aggressive ... We need Daniel to keep being a lob threat."

As for Cluff, Painter said he saw the 6-foot-11 center begin to settle down. He had a little more confidence in the offense and got more aggressive with the basketball in his hands.

"I think Oscar looked comfortable with a couple of post moves, and that's one thing," Painter said. "But Oscar Cluff has averaged 18 points in a college season before, right? So, he's not going to get the same volume with us, but there could be particular games where he does. We need him to score with his back to the basket."

Though Cluff is a veteran college basketball player, he's still acclimating to Purdue's style of play. At times, the big man appears to be thinking too much on the court, a characteristic that will likely evaporate as his comfort level grows.

It's true for Jacobsen, too, who suffered an injury last year that kept him sidelined for all but two games. He may have a strong understanding of Purdue's offense, but he's also still learning.

A combined 20-point, 18-rebound effort was a solid performance in a season opener, but there's still plenty of room for growth, too.

Painter wants better box outs

One area where Purdue is hoping to improve from last season is in the rebounding department. While the Boilermakers tied with Evansville 40-40 in total rebounds, Painter still wasn't thrilled with the large number of offensive rebounds the Aces collected, ending the contest with 20.

That has to be a point of emphasis moving forward. How can Cluff and Jacobsen prevent those offensive boards? It's as simple as getting a body on someone and keeping them away from the glass.

"They have to do a better job boxing out. They had 18 [rebounds] between them, but they have to do a better job of hitting," Painter said. "They gave up some offensive rebounds tonight ... if they want an area where they can secure things for us, it's keep getting on the offensive glass and keep them off the offensive glass."

Painter also said he'd like to see both Jacobsen and Cluff do a better job keeping opponents out of the paint and eliminating shots at the rim. That's another focal point for Purdue on the defensive end of the court.

Cluff and Jacobsen combined for a solid night, but there's work to be done. If Tuesday night served as any indication, Purdue's two centers have the potential to be as good as advertised. They're not a finished product yet.

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