ESPN Men's Basketball

Editor's Note: ESPN Insider has teamed with Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook to provide a comprehensive look at all 334 Division I teams. To order the complete 2009-10 edition of Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, visit www.blueribbonyearbookonline.com or call 1-877-807-4857.

(Information in this team report is as of Oct. 1.)

COACH AND PROGRAM

As training camp for the U-19 World Championships came to a close, Matt Painter decided to enjoy more of what the state of Colorado had to offer.

So, along with USA Basketball coaches Jamie Dixon and Chris Lowery, he drove from Colorado Springs to Denver for an afternoon of baseball and a steak dinner. Dixon, the coach at Pittsburgh, secured tickets for a Pirates game against the Rockies at Coors Field. Later the party moved to Ruth's Chris Steakhouse for three filets and a few beers.

If any coach in the Big Ten deserved a breather -- and a chance to enjoy the good life -- it was Painter.

Four years since he succeeded Gene Keady, the 39-year-old alumnus has elevated the Boilermakers from the depths of the Big Ten into the conversation as a Final Four contender. This season we'll hear often how the 2010 Final Four is an hour's drive from the Purdue campus, conveniently located at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

Those dreams aren't a reach, either. Purdue is coming off a season in which it won 27 games, its most wins since NBA veterans Brad Miller and Brian Cardinal helped them to 28 in 1997-98. The Boilers also earned their first trip to the Sweet 16 since 2000. More important, they return five starters and 85 percent of their scoring this season.

With four quality 2010 commitments, Purdue recruiting is in a good place, too, apparently assuring there won't be a dip in future seasons. Part of their sales pitch is a $100 million Mackey Arena renovation project that is underway. It's been a while since there was this much positive buzz around the program, and Painter's staff deserves a lion's share of the credit.

Still, the coach isn't ready to book more than his own hotel room for April 3-5 in Indy. "I think anytime you have that kind of program, you've had that kind of success, you've won Big Ten championships or advanced deep into the NCAA tournament, that's something that's next on the horizon," Painter said of a Final Four berth. "But we still haven't won the Big Ten. We still have only advanced to the Sweet 16. With that said, I think our guys battled through some adversity and still had a very good year. "We finished second in our league, won (27) games, won the Big Ten Tournament. I thought all of that was a big accomplishment for our team. We still have a lot of things to prove as a program. The first thing, without getting the cart ahead of the horse, is to win the Big Ten."

Working in his favor is a veteran roster that won't focus on the Final Four before it contends for a Big Ten title. Upperclassmen like Robbie Hummel, E'Twaun Moore, JaJuan Johnson and Chris Kramer have endured the grind of an 18-game Big Ten schedule and, after two near misses, would value a league title more than most. "I think if our guys start talking about the Final Four in Indianapolis it just doesn't make sense," Painter said. "If we continue to make that kind of progress each year, then we can be in that conversation."

The older players also recognize the value of a higher seeding in the NCAA tournament.

Last year fifth-seeded Purdue had to overcome fourth-seeded Washington in what amounted to a virtual home game for the Huskies in Portland. The crowd was at full pitch and predominantly purple, but Purdue toughed out a 76-74 triumph.

A Big Ten title this season, when the league should be among the nation's best, probably would ensure a No. 1 or 2 seeding in March and a favorable road to Indy. "I think the Washington game was really a road game for us. I think it signals a lot of things," Painter said. "First, it shows that we can beat the Pac -10 champs in front of their home crowd. They were a four seed and we were a five seed. Next year and years to come we have to do a better job during the year of helping ourselves so we can have a better path, hopefully to the Final Four."

This season marks the 30th anniversary of Purdue's most recent Final Four appearance. With his June-July foray into USA Basketball, Painter helped to end another drought.

The U.S. hadn't won a gold medal in the FIBA U-19 World Championships since 1992. But under the direction of Dixon, Painter and Lowery, the Americans went 9-0, with a 22-point average margin of victory, to win gold in New Zealand. The Americans seemed to share many of the same qualities as one of Painter's teams at Purdue. "It was a good group of guys to coach," he said. "There wasn't a lot of big names on our team. I think that made it enjoyable for everybody."

No team in America returns more quality players than Purdue -- the biggest reason the Boilers should be a top-10 team in every preseason poll. That's also true for the poll at Blue Ribbon, which considers Painter's crew a viable contender for the Big Ten title -- and, dare we say it, the Final Four.

PLAYERS

G-LEWIS JACKSON (5-9, 165 lbs., SO, #23, 5.9 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 3.3 apg, 0.9 spg, .445 FG, .333 3PT, .588 FT, Eisenhower HS/Decatur, Ill.). There were more questions than answers when Jackson committed to Purdue. Was he too small to contribute in the Big Ten? Generously listed at 5-9, he's closer to 5-7, maybe 5-8.

Even Jackson has been known to crack jokes about his height when watching film. "Man, I'm really small," he said once.

Then again, he first dunked as a 5-2 seventh-grader.

And why was this small-town central Illinois product going to Purdue, at a time when Illinois needed guards? The Illini weren't convinced he fit their scheme and thought he would be better served detaching himself from the Decatur scene. The decision has worked swimmingly for Jackson and Purdue. Painter loves the burst of speed Jackson provides the Purdue attack, and veteran teammates respect his fearless mentality.

Jackson's 118 assists ranked first among Big Ten freshmen, and he started 30-of-37 games. So, yes, the little guy can contribute in the Big Ten. "I thought he was great last year. You knew that he could push the ball in transition and get out and run, but he also did a good job in the half-court, making smart decisions," said Painter, who never had questions on whether Jackson would be effective. "I thought he was a great addition to our team. Now he's got to make that next step for us."

There's a chance Jackson won't be back in the starting lineup at least during the exhibition season. The 19-year-old pled guilty to illegal alcohol consumption and possession of drug paraphernalia in April, and Painter has a short fuse when it comes to off-the-court troubles. "We'll kind of wait for him to finish all of the [court's] requirements," Painter said, which include community service.

G-E'TWAUN MOORE (6-3, 188 lbs., JR, #33, 13.8 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 3.1 apg, 1.1 spg, .422 FG, .337 3PT, .762 FT, East Chicago HS/East Chicago, Ind.). One stat that didn't show up in the media guide: Purdue led the Big Ten in media-day attendees. Painter took four players to the 2008 media day in Chicago: Moore, Robbie Hummel, Keaton Grant and Chris Kramer.

Why's that? Well, Hummel was the Big Ten's Preseason Player of the Year, Kramer was the reigning Defensive Player of the Year and Grant was voted the team's MVP.

But Painter said then Moore was Purdue's best player. As a sophomore Moore led the Boilers in scoring and usually was their go-to guy in crunch time. The off-season buzz in Lafayette was the play of Moore, a dark horse Big Ten Player-of-the-Year candidate. "I think Rob, E'Twaun and JaJuan can all be in that conversation. We have three guys that are all-conference guys," Painter said. "If the stars are lined correctly any one of those guys can be considered the best player on our team. They could go somewhere else and take a lot more shots and score a lot more than they do here."

Because of the attention blanketed on Hummel -- and last season Johnson -- Moore's consistency is undervalued nationally. The crafty scorer, nicknamed "Smooge" by his grandmother, topped double figures in 12 of the final 14 games and failed to reach double figures only seven times in 37 games. "He can be as good as anybody in our league," Painter said.

On some nights, he's better than all of his peers. The best example remains a 24-point outburst at Illinois when he was a freshman, a performance that made its way onto the Illinois scouting report a year later. Moore erupted for 20 points in the last 12 minutes and, at one point, connected on seven consecutive shots.

G-CHRIS KRAMER (6-3, 207 lbs., SR, #3, 5.2 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.5 apg, 2.14 spg, .448 FG, .323 3PT, .768 FT, Huntington North HS/Huntington, Ind.). If there's a guy who epitomizes the Purdue mindset, it's the gritty ball-hawk that wears No. 3.

Teammates respect Kramer's pain threshold almost as much as opponents hate playing against him. The former Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year has undergone a pair of surgeries because of compartment syndrome, an affliction that can cause severe pain in both legs. During one off-season workout, a cross-country run, the pain was so great that he fell to the ground. "I just rolled down the hill," Kramer said, though he's never considered giving up the game. "It means too much to me.'' "In long practices it gets to certain points where it really tightens up on him," Painter said. "I think that's what great about having all those guys. I think the greatest motivation for anybody is to have that depth. We had that with USA Basketball. When you have that depth, guys want to get those minutes. You get comfortable when you get into a set routine. I think that's something for him [Kramer] to use [as motivation]. He's got to continue to push through [it]."

While usually defending the opponent's top scoring threat, Kramer has led the Big Ten in steals the last two seasons. He's a three-time selection to the Big Ten's All-Defensive team, with a hands-on approach that drew a flying elbow from Michigan star Manny Harris. Opponents complain privately of his active hands and physical approach, but Kramer has fouled out only four times in 98 career games.

F-ROBBIE HUMMEL (6-8, 212 lbs., JR, #4, 12.5 ppg, 7.0 rpg, 2.0 apg, 1.1 spg, .438 FG, .381 3PT, .755 FT, Valparaiso HS/Valparaiso, Ind.). We'll never know if Purdue could have challenged Michigan State for the 2009 Big Ten title. Its chances were derailed when its most important player sustained a back injury in a game against Oklahoma in November.

He wasn't the same player through the majority of the Big Ten season. Midseason losses to Illinois and Penn State largely can be attributed to an absent or limited Hummel, who sat out five games due to a stress fracture in the L-5 vertebrae in his lower back. Purdue coaches held him out of most practice sessions from January on, and Purdue went 1-3 in Big Ten games played without Hummel.

As a sophomore he scored in double figures eight times against Big Ten competition. Compare to that his freshman season, when he reached double figures 14 times against Big Ten teams and was named first-team all-conference. That Purdue peaked at the end of the season -- as Hummel's health improved -- was no coincidence. The Boilers expect Hummel's back will be in fine shape heading into his junior season. "It's been great. He's been pain-free for a long time now," Painter said. "It's a great sign for him and for us."

A pain-free back allowed Hummel to compete for USA Basketball in the World University Games in July. He averaged 7.3 points, 5.6 boards and, most impressive, 2.3 assists, second most on the team, another reason Painter often calls Hummel "a facilitator." He also averaged 19 minutes, more than NBA prospects Craig Brackins (Iowa State), James Anderson (Oklahoma State) and Evan Turner (Ohio State).

F-JaJUAN JOHNSON (6-10, 215 lbs., JR, #25, 13.4 ppg, 5.6 rpg, 0.7 apg, 2.1 bpg, .540 FG, .736 FT, Franklin Central HS/Indianapolis, Ind.). The least-touted member of Purdue's 2007 recruiting class -- the class that included Moore, Hummel and former Boiler Scott Martin -- is now the Boilers' most highly regarded NBA prospect.

In a span of four seasons, the wiry forward went from playing junior varsity hoops as a high school junior to earning first-team All-Big Ten honors as a college sophomore. It's Johnson's development that gives the Boilers a legitimate shot at a Final Four. Looking for Purdue's top All-America candidate? Here's a vote it's the 215-pound forward that has added a consistent 15-foot jumper to his arsenal.

"JaJuan is very similar to our team, making that natural progression that he's done for the last four or five years. He made the most strides of anyone on our team last year," Painter said. "I think he's very confident right now. His strength is still an issue, but he's gotten stronger. When he struggles at times, it's because of a lack of strength. He's really improved in that."

In the second round of the NCAA tournament, Johnson showed he could flourish on the biggest stage. Against the athletic frontcourt of Washington, he had 22 points, five offensive rebounds and four blocks, quieting the pro-Huskies crowd with several key buckets down the stretch. "That was probably his signature game," Painter said. "When he's playing at a high level in terms of his confidence, he is a very good player."

To make the next step, Johnson will have to improve his rebounding position. He won't out-muscle opponents, but he can out-position them. If Johnson becomes a consistent double-double threat -- he had five against Big Ten competition last season -- we could be watching the junior's final season at Purdue.

G-KEATON GRANT (6-4, 208 lbs., SR, #5, 7.9 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 1.9 apg, 0.6 spg, 27.2 mpg, .360 FG, .658 FT, Bridgton Prep/Kissimmee, Fla.). For a guy that started all but one game as a sophomore, coming off the bench for 17-of-37 games as a junior was a trying adjustment. He still played starter's minutes and remains one of the team's most versatile defenders.

What Purdue needs is for Grant to relocate his shooting stroke from behind the arc. His three-point numbers dipped from his sophomore season (.440) to his junior season (.349). It was an odd decline, seeing as how Grant played more shooting guard as a junior than he did as a freshman, when he was forced into a point guard's role.

A healthy offseason works in his favor; Grant had to recover from knee surgery before his junior season. He spent much of this offseason working on his jumper, with hopes of returning to his previous form. "I think it's going to be interesting to see. I think he's going to have his best year at Purdue next year," Painter said. "He had surgery after his sophomore year. He was out for about five months. I think that really set him back. He hasn't had that down time this year, so he's stayed in shape. I think he will have a very good year for us."

G-D.J. BYRD (6-5, 215 lbs., FR, #21, 24.0 ppg, 8.7 rpg, North Montgomery HS/Crawfordsville, Ind.). The most highly regarded of Purdue's 2009 recruits, Byrd was an Indiana Mr. Basketball candidate. He set the career scoring record at his high school and broke his right ring finger during his senior season. That he shot 40 percent on three-pointers is a sign of Byrd's versatility.

"I think he's going to have a chance to play [as a freshman]," Painter said. "He could play small forward or maybe as an undersized four. He's a little bigger. He's kind of like Marcus Green in that way, probably a little more athletic and a better shooter [than Green]. We really recruited him as a big guard. I think he'll really give us an advantage."

G-RYNE SMITH (6-3, 173 lbs., SO, #24, 1.1 ppg, 0.2 rpg, 0.3 apg, 5.3 mpg, Whitmer HS/Toledo, Ohio). Known as a marksman, Smith earned second-team All-Ohio honors playing in the state's highest class as a prep senior. He saw only spot time as a freshman at Purdue and likely will have a tough time cracking the rotation in his second season.

G-JOHN HART (6-1, 191 lbs., FR, #32, 18.7 ppg, 4.7 rpg, 3.0 apg, Beech Grove HS/Beech Grove, Ind.). Also known as a shooter, Hart spent his first season at Purdue going through red-shirt workouts. He signed in the spring of his senior year. Painter said Hart is another player that could heighten the competition level in practices.

"He's strong. He's got a good build. He can score the basketball," Painter said. "With Ryne Smith, you've got a big-time shooter. With D.J. Byrd, he's a big physical guard coming in. Kelsey Barlow could turn into a big point for us. There's going to be a lot of competition for us. Then you've got the mainstays from last year. Those guys have a lot of experience."

F-ALEKSANDAR MARCIUS (6-9, 240 lbs., FR, #55, 15.0 ppg, 15.0 rpg, 7.0 bpg, La Porte HS/La Porte, Ind.). If the wide-bodied Croatian can work his way into the rotation, Purdue will be in great shape. Marcius, who played for former Indiana Mr. Basketball Delray Brooks in his one season at La Porte, is probably the biggest unknown among the newcomers.

"We feel that he is going to give us an inside presence on both ends of the floor," Painter said. "He gives us another big body along the front line, which is something we've been looking to address. We really feel like he will fit in well with our current players as well as the guys we have coming in with him."

F-PATRICK BADE (6-8, 230 lbs., FR, #41, 17.0 ppg, 7.0 rpg, Franklin Central HS/Indianapolis, Ind.). A late-bloomer in high school, the skilled big man helped Franklin Central to a Class 4A regional championship. Purdue is hoping he can develop quickly into a backup for Johnson, who, coincidentally, played ahead of Bade at Franklin Central for two seasons.

"A couple guys are going to get in that [rotation] and a couple guys aren't," Painter said. "This is the first time in the last five or six years we'll have that luxury. I think it really helps the chemistry. You've got to continue that."

G-KELSEY BARLOW (6-6, 185 lbs., FR, #12, 12.0 ppg, Cathedral HS/Indianapolis, Ind.). The son of former Notre Dame standout Ken Barlow, the skilled swingman could develop into a point, Painter said. Given the Boilers' backcourt depth he's probably a year away from playing significant minutes. "I think he can be a great defender here. He has that ability," Painter said.

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS

BACKCOURT: A

BENCH/DEPTH: B

FRONTCOURT: A

INTANGIBLES: A

In a perfect world, Purdue would add a bruising big man to provide backup minutes in the frontcourt.

Depth there is the team's only glaring issue.

Even so, the Big Ten is not the black-and-blue league it's made out to be, and the Boilers have enough athleticism to counter their lack of girth.

Watch early in the season to see if Purdue shows a renewed focus on rebounding. The Boilers were out-rebounded last season (35.0 to 34.4 on average) and that area is a focal point for Painter. So is, surprisingly, defense, even though aggressive man-to-man has been a trademark. "I still feel like we can get so much better defensively. We have holes in our team defense," Painter said. "If we're going to make a run or attempt to win the Big Ten conference, we're going to have to be a better defensive team. When you can't knock teams out of what they're trying to do, you have to be flat solid. There's too many direct drives to the basket. We have to shore up those areas."

Truth is, anything less than a top-two finish in the Big Ten and Sweet 16 berth will be considered a disappointment for Purdue.

The state of Indiana would be in hoops heaven -- think Michigan State in Detroit last season -- if the Boilers maneuver 66 miles down the road to Lucas Oil Stadium for the 2010 Final Four.

And it's not out of the question.

For the most comprehensive previews available on all 334 Division I teams, order the "Bible" of college basketball, the 2009-10 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, at www.blueribbonyearbookonline.com or call 1-877-807-4857.