Matt Painter came away from Purdue’s four-game trip to Canada with a clear read on where his team stands - and where it still has work to do before the 2026-27 season begins.
The Boilermakers were solid across the week, and Painter liked plenty of what he saw from a younger roster getting real game reps. But two issues kept surfacing: rebounding consistency and keeping the ball out of the paint.
The work on the glass stood out the most. Purdue won the rebounding battle in all four games, but Painter said the advantage wasn’t as overwhelming as it should have been, especially given the size and athletic edge the Boilermakers had against their opponents.
“I think it improves by being more physical,” Painter said in a video posted by GoldandBlack.com. “Any time you're behind plays, and you have to get in rotations, it's going to be harder to rebound.
So, doing a good job on the ball, staying out of those rotations, containing the dribble, then you have better rebound balance. Once you have that rebound balance, then you have to be physical and go get the basketball.”
That rebounding issue connects directly to Purdue’s defensive goals. Painter said the team’s perimeter pressure was a strength in Canada, with Antione West Jr., Gicarri Harris, Luke Ertel, Omer Mayer and C.J. Cox drawing particular praise for their work on the outside.
Even so, he wants to see the Boilermakers do a better job of preventing drives from reaching the lane once the games count.
“Defensively, we've just got to keep working. I think we've got some guys who can do a really good job of guarding the basketball,” Painter said. “We have to do a better job of keeping the ball out of the paint once we get into competition.”
For Painter, the trip served its purpose. It gave newcomers and players stepping into new roles a chance to play multiple games and start building experience before the season schedule tightens up.
The four games weren’t flawless, but they gave Purdue a useful snapshot of where growth is still needed.
Painter said the bigger picture was encouraging.
“We've got a group that can take care of the basketball. I like our skill level,” Painter said.
“I like our ability to defend. We just have to keep working and keep getting better.”
Purdue won’t play again until October, when it has three exhibition games on the calendar before opening the season against Gonzaga on Nov. 2.
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