THIS IS ARTICLE IS BY LUKE MAIERS WHO IS A MEMBER OF TEAM JOEY FRESHWATER.
Background
Thursday night while I was at the Purdue, Iowa game, I was ripping into pretty much every player that the Boilermakers put on the floor. Then I heard someone take one of the best jabs at a player that I had ever heard. An Iowa student behind me yelled at Caleb Swanigan, “Swanigan, your hair is untied”. At this point something clicked in between my ears. You have to be one hell of a basketball player to get heckled like that. Think about it for a second, you never hear average players get lit up like that. That’s when I realized how talented Caleb Swanigan actually is. This big man has upped all of his numbers from last season, and despite Purdue’s loss to Iowa, the Boilermakers have a chance to run the Big Ten.
The Numbers
No doubt this kid could ball last season, but he has stepped up his game this season in a big way. He has improved in points, rebounds, and assists per game, but there is something that is really scary that he can do now. The man can shoot. In the game against Iowa, the Hawkeye post defenders would sag on defense and Swanigan would pull up from three to absolutely drain Carver-Hawkeye Arena of any momentum Iowa had. And when you pair his ability to go down low with his jump shooting skill, he is one hell of a player.
What Changed from Last Season?
After Purdue lost to Arkansas-Little Rock last year in the NCAA Tournament, Swanigan had a decision to make. Go pro after a pretty decent freshman year, or stick around and improve. Before he made his decision, he got evaluated and what he heard made him return. Swanigan was told that he was too out of shape and he needed to develop some of his shooting skills more. Boy, did he work his butt off. He cut a lot of weight and his play has clearly improved on the floor. Granted, he is getting more opportunities with AJ Hammons gone, but you can tell what he has done.
Big Ten/National POY Case
Early on this season, Swanigan put up two 20-20 games in the same week, and that stretch alone put him atop the Big Ten POY watch and right up there for National POY. Swanigan will average a double-double this season, there is no doubt about that, but there are two things that I think will keep him in these races for the rest of the season. First thing is his shooting. If he continues to shoot 56%, 78%, and 47% from those areas on the floor, he should lock up the Big Ten POY for sure. The second thing is the success of Purdue as a team. Sadly enough, the National POY Award usually goes to a really good player who is on a pretty good team at the worst. Finish the Big Ten season strong, stay healthy, and keep banging wet shots, and he should find himself in good territory come March.