It was a long gap between Final Four appearances for Purdue basketball, which found its formula included a dominant center.
The Boilermakers weren’t going to replicate Zach Edey, but hopes of a much shorter timeline between Final Four appearances were dependent on another consistent double-double threat in the middle.
Matt Painter put it bluntly weeks ago.
Purdue didn’t want Oscar Cluff. The Boilermakers NEEDED to lure the 6-foot-11 Australian to West Lafayette once the former South Dakota State star entered the transfer portal.
Why?
Cluff’s 12.3 rebounds per game last season ranked second nationally.
Purdue ranked 245th in offensive rebounding and 304th in defensive rebounding a year ago.
Entering Friday’s Baha Mar Championship game, the Boilers were 37th nationally in offensive rebounding average and 57th overall, up from 309th overall a season ago.
The Boilermakers had their share of rebounding woes in their first two games against Evansville and Oakland. In four games since Trey Kaufman-Renn returned from a hip injury, Purdue has outrebounded Alabama. Akron, Memphis and Texas Tech by an average of 16 per game.
In the most recent outing, Purdue’s 86-56 win over No. 15 Texas Tech in the Bahamas Friday night for the Baha Mar Championship, the most notable big on the floor was Red Raider junior JT Toppin.
By the end of the night, the rave was about Purdue’s starting center.
Cluff had 15 points and 15 rebounds, his second double-double with Purdue after totaling 14 points and 14 rebounds against Akron. Cluff has scored at least 9 points in all six games for the unbeaten and No. 1-ranked Boilermakers. Until grabbing 7 rebounds in Thursday’s win over Memphis, Cluff had at least 9 rebounds in every game. He now has double-digit rebounds in four of Purdue’s six games.
After Friday’s championship performance, Cluff is averaging 12 points and 11 rebounds for the Boilers.
Two years ago, Purdue had Edey, a dominant center, but it found its missing piece for a Final Four team in Lance Jones, who was a standout at the mid-major level but wanted to spend his final season competing for a national title.
Perhaps Painter’s staff has done it again with Cluff, the X-factor in Purdue’s 6-0 start.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Oscar Cluff solves Purdue basketball’s rebounding woes
