Today saw Purdue Boilermakers center Trevion Williams become the first Big Ten player since at least the 2010-11 season to have at least 25 points, 14 rebounds, five assists and two blocked shots in the same game. It came in a 87-78 (OT) Big Ten Tournament quarterfinal loss to #9 Ohio State.
The #20 Boilermakers saw themselves down by 18 at halftime, but fought all the way back, on the strength of Williams’ 18 points, eight rebounds and three assists in the second half (9-14 FGs), to pull level at the end of regulation. While Purdue has seen their conference tournament run ended today, they will be a very dangerous team in the NCAA Tournament.
If you are betting on March Madness, you might want to consider the Boilers in your bracket. They’ve made three straight sweet sixteens, they’re playing the entire tournament in their own backyard and Williams gives them a low post banger that can dominate on the low block.
William grew up in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Chicago (where Barack Obama’s house is) and he learned how to play basketball from his father, Theodore, who took him to pick-up games in the neighborhood parks. Nowadays, he’s one of just five finalists for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award, honoring the nation’s best center.
He’s also a first team All-Big Ten, and probably the nation’s most utilized individual player. We’d have to find the latest specific metrics, and updated stats, but more of the Purdue half court sets run through Williams than pretty much any team in the country runs through anyone.
His teammate, junior forward Aaron Wheeler discussed the progress Williams has made this season.
“This year he’s been more consistent,” Wheeler said. “Last year he had some ups and downs, production wise.”
Trevion Williams has seen a major statistical improvement across the board: points, rebounds, assists, blocks, field goal percentage, you name it.
Guard Eric Hunter Jr. explained how that happened: “his knowing what kind of player he could be and trusting our coaches and himself to make those improvements and make our team better.”
Purdue coach Matt Painter says that the strides made by Trevion Williams this season are not so much a dramatic, instant leap, but a natural, stready progression.
“He’s in better shape this year,” said Painter.
“He’s knowledgeable about what’s going on, scores the ball with his back to the basket, great passer, very instinctual rebounder. He’s had all those qualities before, he’s just played in more games now.”
“We use him a lot, we’re on him a lot too, because there’s a lot of responsibility when you play through him like that.”
It’s understandable why the Purdue coaching staff rides Trevion Williams so hard this season- to whom much is given, much is expected.
Paul M. Banks runs The Sports Bank, partnered with News Now. Banks, the author of “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry,” has regularly appeared in WGN, Sports Illustrated, Chicago Tribune and SB Nation. Follow him on Twitter and Instagram.