After rumors of possible problems with Covid all day, Coach Painter provided some clarity about the situation of the Boilermakers before the game in Michigan tonight.
I hate it for Sasha for a multitude of reasons. Your health is obviously the first thing that should be on the mind of Boilermaker fans. Most college athletes kick this thing without major repercussions, but some don’t. Hopefully, Sasha ends up with a mild or asymptomatic case, but even the “mild” cases look terrible.
From Purdue’s basketball standpoint, you hate Sasha because he’s putting on a solid season. He leads Big10 by 3 percentage points and averages 11 points per game. He also provides Purdue with leadership on the court and is always looking to intervene and take control of the defense. There is no player on the list who can give Boilermakers what Sasha brings to the court.
That said, it’s nice to have Jayden Ivey in reserve. I hope the early freshman enters the roster, and he should do so confidently after defeating Ohio State earlier in the week. Although Jayden is undeniably talented, it puts Purdue in a difficult situation in terms of filming. Ivey is at his best when he is attacking the edge. Sasha is at her best flying across screens and hitting from a distance. Brandon Newman will have to take on the 3-point scorer mantle until Sasha returns. He will need help, though, and that falls on Eric Hunter Jr. and Isaiah Thompson.
Hunter Jr. is shooting only 31% out of 3 this season, and he will need to improve that or the teams will focus even more on stopping Tre. Thompson is scheduled to receive a huge increase in minutes, and he could solve some of the spacing problems I anticipate. He’s shooting 40% of 3, but he can be selective with his shooting opportunities. He will need to pull the trigger a little more often now.
This is a punch in the stomach for the booming Boilermakers, and will require multiple players to fill Sasha’s size gap in the lineup.
Be well soon Sasha.