Lack of inside game, free throw shooting expose Boilers

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Playing games against good competition helps some teams improve, but he does not see the Boilermakers getting better during practice.

Painter also didn’t think Purdue had what he called a mature approach to playing Wednesday night.

“You would think, after playing High Point, which should have beaten us after playing better than us, we would know better, but it’s a byproduct of young people,” Painter said. “They are not dialed in all the time. Some guys are struggling, but they can’t feel sorry for themselves.

“They have to find a way. There’s an old saying in basketball, ‘If you don’t like the hole you are in, stop digging.’ With some individuals on our team, that’s what they have to do. Some of it’s mental, and some of it is just getting in the gym and working on free throws.”

Against Western Carolina, Marcius and Carroll combined for no points and three rebounds in 14 minutes.

Freshman forward/center Jacob Lawson had six points and three blocks in 21 minutes but did not get a single rebound.

“Sometimes, opportunity knocks 20 times,” Painter said. “Sometimes, opportunity knocks once. If you don’t take advantage of it, it might not come back around.

“We’ve got to get some things figured out. Each guy has to look in the mirror and make their own improvements.”

Painter said redshirt freshman guard Anthony Johnson deserved to play more against Western Carolina. He also wishes he could find more minutes for DJ Byrd, but Hummel played 35 against the Catamounts.

The coach would like to play Lawson more, but the freshman has made only six of 20 free throws.

“He played 21 minutes Wednesday and really gave us a boost,” Painter said. “He has to rebound, but he is a work in progress. He has ability and talent.”

Painter would like to lean more on his experienced players in practice but says that sometimes doesn’t make sense.

“When Lewis’ back locks, what’s a guy suppose to do?” Painter said. “The next guy has to step up and make plays.”

The inability to be on the court all the time frustrates Jackson.

“It keeps locking up on me,” Jackson said of his back. “I try to warm up, but I guess I’m just getting old.

“I didn’t want to be that guy sitting out. They kind of fueled me the rest of the (Western Carolina) game.”

Hummel practices when he can, but his 43.7 field goal shooting percentage may be a byproduct, in part, of being unable to go each day.

He was 6 of 16 from the field in scoring 19 points Wednesday.

“I felt like I took pretty good shots,” Hummel said. “In the second half, I thought three or four were in, and they kind of popped out.”