For the most comprehensive previews available on all 335 Division I teams, order the "Bible" of college basketball, the 2012-13 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, at www.blueribbonyearbookonline.com or call 1-877-807-4857.

COACH AND PROGRAM
Purdue's monuments to excellence are gone. For five years, the Boilers' fortunes were guided by Robbie Hummel, E'Twaun Moore and JaJuan Johnson. All three finished among the school's all-time top 10 scorers. All three earned first-team All-Big Ten honors at least twice. All three were picked in the NBA draft. The list of accomplishments for Matt Painter's 2007 recruiting class goes on and on.

Where does a program turn when its icons move on to the professional ranks? Purdue started its search amid the monuments and icons of Italy. The Boilermakers' 11-day tour in August featured visits to the Roman Colosseum, the Vatican, the Leaning Tower of Pisa and the cities of Venice and Lake Como.

In their spare time, the Boilers played four games because eighth-year coach Matt Painter wanted his youthful and relatively unproven squad to get a jump on the season. With 11 players splitting the minutes on a roughly equal basis, Purdue won three laughers and suffered its only loss in the final seconds against a professional team from Lithuania.

While it's not the smartest idea to take statistics from a brief international tour and extrapolate them into rock-solid conclusions, it seems apparent that Purdue's first group without the Hummel/Moore/Johnson pillars is going to need (and get) immediate contributions from its strong freshman class:

" Chiseled 6-5, 211-pound swingman Rapheal Davis, ranked by ESPN as the No. 15 shooting guard in the class of 2012, led the team with 14.3 points per game, though it's important to note he saved his weakest effort (three points) for the loss.

" Redshirt freshman power forward Donnie Hale (6-8, 221), who sat out last season because Hummel needed to return for his fifth year, ranked second in scoring (11.8 ppg) and rebounding (7.5 rpg).

" Freshman point guard Ronnie Johnson (6-0, 170), also known as Terone Johnson's little brother, posted 20 assists versus 6 turnovers as the team's primary ball handler. Like Davis, ESPN rates him a four-star prospect, and also the No. 17 point guard in his class.

" And freshman A.J. Hammons (7-0, 280), yet another ESPN four-star recruit and the No. 18 center in the country, averaged 8.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in roughly 17 minutes per game.

"I'm excited," Painter said. "We have very good young players. We're going to have to have a balance because we don't have a lot of seniors."

The Boilermakers have just two seniors, to be precise, and one is former walk-on guard Dru Anthrop (6-0, 183) who played a grand total of 69 minutes during his first three seasons. Anthrop's hustle and his ability to initiate the offense were rewarded in Italy as he received similar minutes to the scholarship guys.

Senior forward D.J. Byrd (8.9 ppg, 2.3 rpg) is the team's No. 2 returning scorer. The 6-foot-5, 228-pound Byrd split time between the forward spots the last two years. When Hummel had to sit out the 2010-11 campaign after re-injuring his knee, Byrd was the only viable candidate to tangle with other power forwards. He retained some of those duties last year on the occasions when Purdue tried to game the matchups by playing Hummel as an undersized center.

While that arrangement didn't help the Boilers under the boards, Byrd's ability to shoot 3-pointers messed with opponents' defensive plans. He drilled 65 of 151 (.430) in his role as the first player off the bench. Purdue has enough big men to allow Byrd to play the three spot this season, but now it becomes a question of whether he can guard well enough on the perimeter. Considering he usually has been banged up in one fashion or another (he spent much of the offseason trying to get a stress fracture in his fibula to heal), who knows what he'll be able to do if healthy?

"He had a good year for us and showed that grit," Painter said. "He's just got to be more consistent in all areas."

Purdue's junior class isn't too hefty either, though 6-2, 199-pound guard Terone Johnson (9.2 ppg, 3.4 rpg) became a go-to guy after Kelsey Barlow was dismissed from the program in February. Johnson averaged 15.5 points per game in Big Ten tournament action and NCAA play. He's another guy who has stayed on the floor while battling injuries.

"He has not been healthy since he arrived at Purdue," said Painter, citing a shoulder problem as a freshman and a torn meniscus at the outset of last season. "He's a guy that can score a lot of different ways. He worked on his free throws and outside shot this summer."

Johnson converted just 31 percent of his 3-pointers and 44 percent of his free throws last year. Painter says if those rates can improve to 35 and 70 percent, respectively, Johnson "could be an all-conference player."

Junior center Travis Carroll (2.6 ppg, 2.9 rpg) started 20 games last year because the 6-9, 229-pounder was the biggest guy Painter trusted to work alongside Hummel up front. "He's a guy that's in between slots," Painter said. "He doesn't quite have the size against mammoth centers, but can't quite run with the face-up fours. He's an undersized center, but he can make perimeter shots. We want him to rebound, take charges and do the dirty work for us."

To be fair, Painter's last statement in that quote goes for everybody who wants to play inside for the Boilers this season. When he sizes up Carroll, Hammons, Hale, 6-8 sophomore Jacob Lawson and 6-9, 268-pound redshirt junior Sandi Marcius (1.6 ppg, 2.1 rpg) during drills, he's going to be grading on effort perhaps more than anything else.

"We have some talented big guys," Painter said. "Whoever can play hard and want it more, they're going to rise to the top. They just are."

Marcius, who was phased out of last year's rotation after a midseason injury and wound up averaging just 8.5 minutes per game, appears to have received the message as he impressed during the Italy trip. The Croatia native averaged 8.5 points and a team-high 10.5 rebounds and even delivered a double-double in the team's final game.

"He's very good against people sized like himself: 6-10, 250," Painter said. "He needs to be able to play -- and play through his mistakes. If he can be successful with his effort, there's no doubt he can play this year."

The left-handed Hale doesn't possess Marcius' bulk, but he has the athleticism and energy to carve out an immediate role. "He can nail a perimeter shot," Painter said. "We need him to bring energy, defend and block shots."

Lawson (2.4 ppg, 1.9 rpg) started four games last season -- three of them in Big Ten play -- but saw his minutes decrease as the season bumped along. "The season and practice and everyday grind got the best of him," Painter said. "You would see flashes. He played in spurts. He's got to get consistent in his work habits because he's very athletic. He gives us a high-flying guy that can change the game."

One sign of where Lawson is on the athlete/skills continuum? He made 59.6 percent of his field-goal attempts, but just 34.6 percent of his free throws. He averaged 5.0 points and 3.8 rebounds in Italy.

Hammons, rated the nation's No. 75 prospect according to the Recruiting Services Consensus Index (RSCI), features a big upside. "He was on the No. 1 team in the country, Oak Hill, that went 44-0," Painter said. "He had a great experience at Oak Hill. Being in that culture of winning really helped him. He's a good shot blocker, good rebounder, good passer. His offense has improved, but still has a ways to go. He could be a great one before he's through. I'm hoping his presence can raise the level of other people ."

Purdue boasts one more intriguing freshman big man in 6-9, 268-pound Jay Simpson, who sat out the Italy tour because of a broken foot. "He's a four/five type," Painter said. "He can dribble, pass and shoot. He's very, very talented. We've got to get him to be consistent in his effort."

The Boilermakers don't have quite as many options on the perimeter. Ronnie Johnson is the only true point guard on the roster, so it's highly likely he'll be the graduated Lewis Jackson's successor on opening night. When Ronnie was a sophomore at Indianapolis' North Central High School, he and Terone teamed up to win a state championship. "He's a pass-first type of guy," Painter said. "He sees things a frame ahead. He's just a good leader and his teams have always won."

Redshirt sophomore Anthony Johnson (5.4 ppg, 2.1 rpg), who's unrelated to Ronnie and Terone, was renowned for his perimeter shooting when he arrived at Purdue. That didn't manifest itself last season as the 6-3, 191-pound Johnson canned just 28 percent of his 3-pointers and 49 percent of his free throws. "He can really score the ball," Painter said. "We need him to improve defensively and be a guy that can rebound. He needs to be able to make free throws and open jump shots. He hasn't been consistent in that area yet."

Rapheal Davis' offensive game is reminiscent of Terone Johnson's: He does what it takes to manufacture baskets and get to the free-throw line. Painter also lauds Davis' ability as an on-the-ball defender. "Physically, I think he's going to be ready for the league, which not every freshman can say," Painter said. "He's a blue-collar kid. He has to learn to play without the ball in his hands."

Anthrop (0.5 ppg, 0.8 rpg), who grew up minutes from Purdue's campus, earned a scholarship last season and figures to retain that full ride this year. Painter wishes he had redshirt sophomore walk-on Neal Beshears (0.6 ppg, 0.3 rpg) last year because he sees skills and effort that could pay off down the line.

BLUE RIBBON ANALYSIS
BACKCOURT: B
BENCH/DEPTH: B-
FRONTCOURT: B-
INTANGIBLES: B-

The Boilermakers have averaged 25.2 wins over the last six years, appeared in every NCAA tournament during that stretch and won either one or two games in all six of those tournaments. But plot the win totals and Associated Press rankings on a graph.

During the four seasons when Purdue had Moore and Johnson (and usually Hummel), they won at least 25 games every year and were an AP Top 25 poll staple. The year before they arrived? The Boilers won 22 games, never made the Top 25 and received a No. 9 seed in the NCAA tournament. The year after they graduated? The Boilers won 22 games, never made the Top 25 and received a No. 10 seed in the NCAAs.

So where is Purdue headed? Can this group of intriguing youngsters and partially proven veterans kick-start the Boilers back toward the Top 25? Or will the program transition into becoming one that has to do a little sweating on Selection Sunday?

For the most comprehensive previews available on all 335 Division I teams, order the "Bible" of college basketball, the 2012-13 Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook, at www.blueribbonyearbookonline.com or call 1-877-807-4857.
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