Purdue fills its biggest need by adding graduate transfer guard

Needing a guard to replace the departed David Jenkins, Purdue struck quick this year, landing a commitment this weekend from Southern Illinois graduate transfer Lance Jones. The 6-foot-1, 190-pound native of Evanston visited Purdue late this week.

A third-team All-Missouri Valley pick as a senior this past season, Jones started all 33 of the Salukis’ games and averaged 13.8 points. His 28-percent three-point shooting was a career low but he previously shot nearly 43 percent as a sophomore on lower volume and wound up at 32.7 percent for his SIU career.

Purdue recruited Jones to fill the role played this season by Jenkins, that of an additional ball-handler, but also to add some needed quickness to the Boilermaker backcourt.

With the backcourt need now filled, Purdue is expected to remain active recruiting transfers, as Brandon Newman‘s departure opened an additional scholarship.