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When it comes to Purdue guard Fletcher Loyer, there are two distinct sides to the argument. A clear black and white. Many praise his play; others criticize it.
Purdue coach Matt Painter knows where he stands.
“The people that want to replace him,” Painter said, “aren’t very smart. So let’s not hang out with them.”
Painter’s point gained real evidence Tuesday night when Loyer dropped a career-high 30 points in No. 1 Purdue’s season-opening 82-51 win over Evansville. The senior guard was 8-of-11 from the field and made seven 3-pointers in the win.
The criticism around Loyer stems from inconsistency in big moments. Despite averaging 13.8 points on 46.5% shooting last season, he struggled at times against elite competition — including a five-point performance on 0-for-6 shooting in Purdue’s Big Ten Tournament loss to Michigan.
Expectations have never been higher for Purdue — and for Loyer, now a senior. But Tuesday was a promising start, as he led the nation’s top-ranked team to a dominant win and quieted some of the noise, at least for one night.
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