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PLAY IT!
Yep, Biggie is back! Here is the word from Gregg Doyel at the Indianapolis Star:
Biggie Swanson coming back to Purdue.
— Gregg Doyel (@GreggDoyelStar) May 25, 2016
And from Purdue itself:
Biggie has withdrawn from the NBA Draft & will return to #Purdue.
— Purdue Boilermakers (@BoilerBall) May 25, 2016
⬆️ pic.twitter.com/7y6YPe6ZOZ
And finally, Biggie himself:
@Biggs_Swanigan Part 2 boiler nation ?
— Mamba Forever (@Biggs_Swanigan) May 25, 2016
So what does this mean? Well, here is the updated scholarship grid:
| Player | ('16-'17) | ('17-'18) | ('18-'19) | ('19-'20) |
| Spike Albrecht | Grad | |||
| Basil Smotherman | RS Junior | RS Senior | ||
| Vince Edwards | Junior | Senior | ||
| Dakota Mathias | Junior | Senior | ||
| Isaac Haas | Junior | Senior | ||
| P.J. Thompson | Junior | Senior | ||
| Jacquil Taylor | RS Soph. | RS Junior | RS Senior | |
| Ryan Cline | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | |
| Caleb Swanigan | Sophomore | Junior | Senior | |
| Carsen Edwards | Freshman | Sophomore | Junior | Senior |
| Scholarships Used | 10 | 9 | 4 | 1 |
| Scholarships Left | 3 | 4 | 9 | 12 |
We're still awaiting word on Kostas Antetokuonmpo (and we know nothing there, either), but it makes for a very interesting series of lineup choices. Also, it seems highly unlikely at this point that Biggie stays for 3 years, so you can likely consider another spot open for 2017-18 forward.
I tend to think Purdue might be better this coming seasons because we won't be married to having a lumbering 7-foot center on the floor at all times, thus allowing for more versatility on offense. Who knows though.
The good news is that Biggie is back. For all the negativity he has taken he is still a guy that nearly averaged a double-double as a freshman. It is always good to get that back. Hopefully we get fewer turnovers and more Beast Mode like he was against Wisconsin.