WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue men’s basketball will soon begin its March Madness pursuit, but Caden Pierce made sure the squad was Super Bowl ready by October.
Most Sundays find a dozen or so Boilermakers at Pierce’s apartment. Red Zone in one corner of the TV’s quad box function. The Colts in another, of course, so Pierce can keep up with his brother Alec, a wide receiver. The Bears, the team closest to the suburban Chicago native’s heart, in another.
Buffalo chicken dip. Pigs in a blanket. Bacon and eggs for the early overseas kickoffs. Teammates shuffle over with their pot luck contributions and stay through the afternoon and into Sunday Night Football.
For the entire team, a casual bonding opportunity. For Pierce in particular, another chance to earn the veteran voice he’s expected to use this season. One of the oldest and most experienced players on the roster was nonetheless a newcomer to this program, this city and this conference.
“That was one thing I was, not struggling with, but kind of feeling out initially,” Pierce said. “I’ve played three years, but I’m still a new guy, so I’m kind of feeling out when and where to use my voice – because I know what to say.”
The former Princeton standout’s maturity and experience were key selling points when Purdue pursued him in the transfer portal last winter. While not a young team, exactly, Matt Painter’s roster also does not have the sort of late-career veterans who typically set the tone within a program.
Pierce wants to fill that void, but knew he needed to approach that role the correct way. The summer exhibition tour of Canada helped that process. So did regular rounds of golf during the spring and summer.
“He’s just a winner,” assistant coach P.J. Thompson said. “I think it was a good match when he chose Purdue. It made sense because when you think of Purdue players, although we’re all different our own way, it’s a certain level of substance about the people that’s won at Purdue, and I think he fits into that mold.
“He was perfect for our team. ... I think people overlooked him, but he’s shown nothing but having winning intangibles since he’s been here.”
How Caden Pierce can help fill voids for Purdue basketball
Pierce needed more than Crock Pot skills and a big television to win over his teammates. His voice would carry more weight on the court if he proved he could help them there.
Sunday’s exhibition opener against Ball State will mark the 6-foot-7 Pierce’s first college game since the end of his junior season at Princeton in 2025. He took last season off to explore his transfer options and save his year of eligibility for this season. He also said he put on 10 pounds of muscle – size and strength which could help him around the basket.
Other Purdue players say Pierce has already proved himself physically – even in surprising ways. When asked separately to name the fastest player on the roster, both C.J. Cox and Daniel Jacobsen brought up Pierce’s name.
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Neither seemed surprised a projected 4 who even played the 5 occasionally in the Ivy League could claim that title.
“I mean, look at the kid – he's kind of ripped, and he’s got the speed,” Cox said. “Him and Antione (West Jr.) are kind of neck and neck.”
Those four games in Canada showed where Pierce might help the most.
The departures of Oscar Cluff and Trey Kaufman-Renn alone left a massive hole in Purdue’s rebounding. They accounted for almost 44% of last season’s total.
Thompson referred to Pierce as an “elite” rebounder. He flashed that potential in his second season at Princeton, when his 27.3% defensive rebounding percentage ranked 16th nationally, per KenPom.
In Canada, Pierce’s willingness to box out and savvy for attacking the offensive boards showed up. Pierce traced that acumen back to youth basketball when he was coached by his father, Greg. With no guarantee as to which fifth graders would eventually grow into power forwards and centers, everyone was expected to learn to rebound.
Pierce wanted the ball in his hands, so being aggressive on the boards was a prerequisite to getting and keeping that role. He is well aware of the void Purdue needs him to fill.
“Honestly, if you ask me who I am as a player, I would say my best quality is my rebounding,” Pierce said. “So that’s something I accept and I embrace that as a challenge.”
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Purdue also needs Pierce’s voice – literally – in ways which extend beyond leadership. Communication, especially on the defensive end, has been a recurring issue for the past couple of seasons. It’s something Painter has occasionally stopped practice to harp on during the preseason as well.
Pierce believes he can help. While Sunday’s game in Mackey Arena will be his first, he knows about the vocal volume necessary to call out screens and switches. Purdue volleyball’s victory over defending national champion Texas A&M there earlier this season gave him a preview.
“It was like, 'OK, this is real – this is Mackey Arena,'” Pierce said.
Pierce took a deliberate approach to settling into West Lafayette. It could help his particular piece fit the Purdue puzzle more completely.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: How this prized transfer is making mark on Purdue basketball team still growing
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