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Conspicuously, we're missing a person in this countdown. Andy and I came to the consensus decision that we shouldn't do a "4 Days to Purdue Basketball" on Wednesday. It would just be too damn depressing. We all know that Robbie Hummel is still a member of this team. Maybe this New York doctor can pull off a miracle next week and he can have a Willis Reed moment coming out of the tunnel for the Big Ten Tournament. That's highly unlikely, but I can dream.
Since it is highly unlikely, the first of our final three players is one of the two members left of the Walk-On Whiteout. Mark Wohlford graduated, while Stevie Loveless and Kyle Coleman have left the program for other opportunities. That leaves only Dru Anthrop and Bubba Day. Both players have some Bobby Buckets potential, but they will likely be deep on the bench.
Bubba Day - Jr.
Hometown: West Lafayette, IN (West Lafayette HS)
Guard
6', 185 pounds
2010 Projection: Deep bench reserve. Potential 3-point specialist.
I think Bubba Day and Dru Anthrop have Bobby Buckets potential for more than their addresses. Yes, they are both townies (Day from West Lafayette High and Anthrop from Central Catholic). Both players are hard-nosed kids willing to do the dirty work as essentially bodies in practice only to be rewarded with a few minutes of playing time. As Andy referenced last week, Anthrop may have had the most efficient 15 minutes in college basketball last year.
Day saw action in seven games last season as a sophomore, scoring his only three points in the game against Buffalo. This was after sitting out as a freshman and averaging 21 points as a senior as West-side. While he is all over the West-side record books for basketball, he was actually a better soccer player, being named a third team all-state selection.
Where Day could carve a niche is as a 3-point shooter off the bench. While it is unlikely he will see big minutes, He can fill it up if given space. Doesn't this sound like Bobby Buckets? In fact, day led the team in 3-point shooting percentage last season (1 for 1). He's going to be a kid that makes the most of his limited opportunities to play. Unfortunately, June 2nd is well after basketball season, but maybe that is why he wears #2.