Basil Smotherman Suspended from 2016-17 Purdue Season Opener

It appears we will have to wait just a little bit longer to see Basil Smotherman in Old Gold and Black. According to a release this evening from Purdue he has been suspended from both exhibition games as well as the season opener on November 11 against McNeese State:

Purdue men's basketball head coach Matt Painter has announced that redshirt junior Basil Smotherman has been suspended for the Boilermakers' 2016-17 season opener against McNeese State, as well as the team's exhibition game against Southern Indiana (Nov. 1) and the closed scrimmage vs. West Virginia.

"We have suspended Basil for our first three competitions for a violation of team rules," Painter said. "We hold our players to high standards and when they don't meet those standards, there will be consequences. Basil knows he made a mistake and will learn from it."

Smotherman, of course, redshirted last season, but he was expected to be an upper class leader as the lone returning player from the 2013 recruiting class. Kendall Stephens has transferred to Nevada while Bryson Scott transferred to IPFW. He is now set to make his debut on November 14 when defending National Champion Villanova comes to town.