Fletcher Loyer was hired with the understanding that the lanky guard was going to enhance the skill Purdue could put on the floor. After his first two seasons, there is little room to debate the ability Loyer brings to the Boilermakers. He is a dead-eye shooter from beyond the arc, is able to put the ball on the floor and get to the rim, can make mid-range jumpers with consistency, and is one of the best entry passers in the B1G. So what’s with the title of the story saying that Loyer has big steps to take heading into his third year after starting every game the past two seasons?
Weight room. The upgrade is really that simple for Loyer right now. More than just a term of derision when a player like Loyer is bullied on the defensive end by a more physically imposing player, if Loyer is going to take another step in his development, he needs to hit the weight room. He has too often been bullied on the defensive end by thicker or simply better built wings and guards while getting thrown around the rim when he tries to score off the dribble. That lack of physical size is one of the reasons why towards the end of the year he just couldn’t buy a bucket inside and the calls just don’t come when he runs into a defender.
There’s no denying that Loyer finished his freshman year on a harsh downward trend overall, but he turned that around with a very solid sophomore season in which he averaged 10.3 points, 1.92 assists and 2.1 rebounds per game. game while shooting 44.4% from behind the arc. Loyer will need to improve his consistency as the season progresses because, once again, when the calendar turned to February he started another downward trend.
After a 12-point performance to start February at Wisconsin, Loyer failed to score in double figures in five straight games and was just 2-for-12 from beyond the arc. He then had three games in which he scored 15, 16 and 15 before another three consecutive games in single digits of 9, 8 and 5.
Most concerning, however, was the season finale in the national title game, where Loyer did not score a point and was only able to make one three-point attempt. It was a very obvious example of Loyer’s struggles against bigger, more physical guards and wings. When it became clear that he would not be able to make his shots from behind the arc, he attempted to get to the rim but was unable to make any of his shots, as the contact often threw him off balance.
Imagine, for a moment, a 195 or even 200 pound Loyer. He could get physical contact when getting to the rim and finish off more ‘and-1’ opportunities. He would also be better able to defend players who put him in the post because he won’t be “flooded” into oblivion. It’s simply the biggest hole in his game currently, as he shoots better than most others in the country and may possess one of the most complete and skilled offensive games in the B1G (along with teammate Braden Smith).
Behind Loyer are a host of young, immensely talented, BIG guards and wings who have shown a ton of potential. Myles Colvin is 6’5 and already 200 pounds, while every incoming freshman forward and guard is bigger, too. Benter will be 6’5 and 195 pounds, Gicarri Harris is 6’4 and 185 pounds, while CJ Cox is 6’2 and 185 pounds. More than anything, the players that are on the roster and coming in are very skilled and at the same time have more size and athleticism than Loyer.
Is there a chance Loyer could lose his starting job? I’d say there’s almost no chance of that happening because Loyer simply does too many things right on the offensive end. However, at some point those young players will continue to hone their skills and if they could contribute more in defense, rebounding and finishing at the rim, well… If you asked me, I think it would be very smart to have Loyer as the sixth man to provide instant offensive pop off the bench, much like Mason Gillis. Luckily for us, I’m not on the Purdue Basketball staff and Matt Painter makes a lot of money because he’s smarter than a Hammer and Rails writer (although that’s not saying much).
Loyer will most likely continue as a starter and will see a benefit in how the offense evolves to serve more of his needs rather than those of college basketball’s most dominant big man in over 60 years. Purdue playing a little more up and down where Loyer can make his throws before the defense can set up is a boost for him and having big men who can defend the pick and roll differently than just dropping coverage will also be helpful. Loyer will likely see an increase in his overall numbers next season if he maintains that starting job. If he is somehow replaced with a starting job, the college basketball world may need to make room for another dominant year from the Boilermakers.
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