:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/62171869/usa_today_10674881.0.jpg)
Carsen Edwards
6’1” | 200 lbs. | SG
Atascocita, TX
Role: Star Player
Last season was supposed to be about the four seniors in the starting lineup, instead, the lone underclassmen, Carsen Edwards, made his sophomore campaign an introduction to the college basketball world. The short, strong guard from Texas thundered down with left-handed dunks and drained threes off the dribble until the Boilermakers were in the Sweet Sixteen and he was announced as a finalist for National Player of the Year. He would win the Jerry West Award for best Shooting Guard in the country. He became a second-team All-American.
His jersey will hang in the rafters along with his fellow Boiler legends.
He averaged 18.5 points per game, to go along with nearly four rebounds and three assists a game, while raising all of his efficiency stats. He shot better than 40% from three on more than six attempts per game. He improved in every facet of his game.
He turned over the ball less while handling the ball more. He made a higher percentage of shots while taking more shots. He assisted more frequently, defended more consistently, and became the man on a team full of seniors.
He improved by hard work, going into the lab with his personal trainer Joey Burton. They worked on pace. They worked on his shot. Again and again and again they worked. He has done the same this off-season.
Carsen Edwards will not have the benefit of four seniors or surprise this season. He will be the target in the Big Ten, a heavy favorite to win B10 Player of the Year. Often times Edwards’ ability to push and run the ball worked against what Coach Painter’s teams wanted to do the last two years. This year, Edwards will have the athletes around him to run with him.
Purdue comes into this season having lost four integral parts of their program the last four season. There’s a whole lot of points to make up and even more experience, but Purdue still comes into the season ranked in the top 25. This is due to one man, #3, and the carnage he’s proven to leave in his wake.
But don’t take my word for it.
Enjoy the football game today. Basketball starts Tuesday.