As soon as Matt Painter chirps down the bench toward Matt Haarms and tells him to replace Vincent Edwards on the court, Haarms' almost-always-there-smile gets wider.
The 7-foot-3 redshirt freshman knows that usually means a special opportunity: He gets to play the 4 and play alongside 7-foot-2 senior Isaac Haas.
It was a common call from Purdue’s head coach Wednesday night with senior Edwards in foul trouble, limiting him to only 20 minutes, and that meant plenty of the twin towers look for the Boilermakers.
Mostly, it was a good one as Haas and Haarms seized the 12-plus minutes they played together — likely a season high — in Purdue’s 82-51 victory over Rutgers in Mackey Arena.
Haas tied a career-high with 29 minutes, including 18 in the first half, and Haarms had 22. Both were productive, too, with Haas scoring 14 points on four-of-five field goals and six-of-eight free throws and grabbing a team-high-tying six rebounds, while Haarms scored four on two-of-three shooting and also had six rebounds. Haarms also had three blocks, and Haas added one.
“I like it,” Haas said. “I like it because it provides a lot of length on defense. He’s quicker on his feet than A.J. (Hammons) was, so that wasn’t, I believe, an option back in my first two years here, so I think he’s really talented in that area so that allows us to get more spread out in our coverage in defense. On offense, you have two blasting, you have two long rebounders, you have guys who can do the high-low. We have to grow into that role more, and I’m sure we’ll see it more in the season. I just can’t wait to see how that develops into a good thing for the rest of the season.”
Though Painter said the only reason they two played so extensively together was because of Edwards’ foul trouble, the bigger lineup also allowed Purdue to, in theory, rebound better against a Scarlet Knights team that entered the game third nationally in rebounding and second in offensive rebounding. Haas and Haarms weren’t the only Boilermakers board hard or well — guard Ryan Cline also had six and four other players had five apiece — but they were perhaps the most prominent.
Purdue first went with the two-big lineup on Wednesday actually not directly related to an Edwards foul. Edwards picked up his first near the 17-minute mark but stayed in the game until 12:09 and, after an air-balled three, Haas replaced Edwards to give Purdue both 7-footers on the floor. They played together until the 8:24 mark, when Edwards came back in and Haarms went to the bench. After Edwards’ second foul with 5:40 to play in the half, Haas and Haarms were back in together for a stretch that lasted until the final minute.
“For me, it’s more learning to play the 4 a little bit more,” Haarms said. “I’m not really used to playing that position that much. Right now, with Vince getting in foul trouble, I have to play it a little more. That’s just on me to learn that a little bit more, really lock in on the plays at the 4 and learn the spot more.
“I really like playing together with Isaac. I think it’s really fun. It’s really enjoyable.”
Painter has played the lineup at points already this season, and he said it works because Haarms allows it to. Haarms is an athletic big man, so he’s able to move his feet and guard more than just the post. And though Painter said he doesn’t like pulling Haarms away from the rim to defend — Haarms is the team’s best shot blocker — it can work in certain situations.
Offensively, Painter said he Haarms and Haas can make sense because it’s a five-man lineup without every player who wants to shoot, which is “not good soup,” Painter said. Haarms will take shots when they’re there, and Haas will look to score every time he’s in the post, like he’s asked, surrounded by Purdue’s bunch of shooters.
“They complement each other,” Painter said of the pair.
Ryan Cline, who played with both big men together in the second half, said he thinks Haarms could develop into a pick-and-pop power forward. The lineup has “grown on me, especially since the beginning of the season,” Cline said, because he’s seen how Haarms can spread the defense by being a key screener on the perimeter.
For opposing coaches, though, like Rutgers Steve Pikiell, it’s just another lineup to worry about against a team that seemingly doesn’t need any more wrinkles.
“All their lineups caused problems, quite honestly,” Pikiell said. “When (Vincent) Edwards is on at the 4 spot, he’s a problem because he can take you outside. You’ve got two 7-footers running around in the paint, it causes problems rebounding. They do a good job spacing the floor out. Those veteran guards are elite shooters. They have a lot of weapons. This is a good team. They’ve been through the wars, too.
“So the two big guys do cause problems. Each one is a little bit different. Obviously, Haas is a monster down low and then they have a great shot-blocked when he comes off. So when they play them together, they’ve got both those options.”
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