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He added that adapting to the new team has been exciting.
"There's always a sense of joy and almost like innocence with an incoming class of freshmen, and it's fun," he said.
"There's a new group, new faces, and I'm a freshman almost too with this team, so it's fun to be a part of it."
Frontcourt contributor Raleigh Burgess provided critical extra possessions during his minutes at power forward and center, converting 3-of-4 field goal attempts while maintaining offensive flow.
"I could be a vocal leader. Everyone hears my voice, that's something I try to do," Burgess said.
"Part of my role is just being a hustle guy, doing what's needed, filling in the gaps. Not any one specific thing."
As the Boilermakers work through their four-game international schedule, the coaching staff continues to test diverse lineups to solidify core roles ahead of the regular season.
"We don't have a lot of separation," Painter said.
"We have a very very deep team, but who's going to step up and be our main guys?"
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Purdue continues its exhibition slate in British Columbia with a matchup against the University of Calgary at Simon Fraser University on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, followed by a final game against the University of Fraser Valley on Wednesday, July 29, 2026.
