English
EspañolWEST LAFAYETTE — Omer Mayer experienced a Purdue men’s basketball right of passage Friday against Indiana.
As the freshman guard from Israel pumped in one 3-pointer, then another, then another, the Mackey Arena crowd responded more enthusiastically to each one. With his fourth 3 of the night to cap a career-high 18-point performance, he gave the Boilermakers fans a late reason to erupt in a game no longer in doubt.
Less than a week later, Mayer kept a different count. In 24 hours and change, he would be back on Keady Court against No. 13 Michigan State.
“It was a lot of fun, especially with our crowd,” Mayer said. “Those are the one of moments that we’re playing basketball for.
“But never too high, never too low. Obviously it was fun, but it was (last week), and it’s over.”
That focus helped Mayer push through his acclamation period in the first two months to begin producing more consistently. He finished December shooting 30.2% from 3-point range. He’s shooting 47.4% since, making at least one 3 in 11 of 14 games. (In two of the games without one, he played under 10 minutes.)
The better measure of Mayer’s impact, though, shows up in his 3-point performance in bigger games. In games KenPom classifies as A or B quality – ranked in the site’s top 50 or top 100 – Mayer shoots 47.2% behind the arc.
In losses to Illinois and Michigan, his 5-for-10 effort behind the arc either helped keep the game competitive or extended the window of opportunity. February is a fine time of the season to establish oneself as a clutch performer.
With production and confidence both trending up, Mayer’s volume increased as well. He’s made 9 of 17 from 3 over the past three games. He averaged fewer than three attempts per game before that surge.
Mayer cannot pinpoint any particular reason for the improvement. Purdue coach Matt Painter said he’s seen steady improvement in Mayer’s ability to be a catch-and-shoot threat. That required an adjustment after his years as a ball-dominant lead guard.
“He’s had the ball in his hands a lot,” Painter said. “Now playing off the ball, he’s gotten more comfortable doing it.
“But he’s been able to shoot before he got here. He’s a really good player.”
Mayer still projects for a ball-dominant future as Braden Smith’s successor. For now, he’s learned to thrive alongside him.
Per KenPom, roughly 15% of Purdue’s lineups over the past five games included both Smith and Mayer on the court together. Mayer on the court without Smith comprised only 2.8% of lineups.
He remains fourth in minutes in that stretch behind Loyer, C.J. Cox and Gicarri Harris. That dynamic likely won’t change much. What has changed is the impact Mayer can make in those minutes.
“Playing a game's way different to playing 5 on 5 in practice,” said center Oscar Cluff, who like Mayer adjusted to a new program this season. “After a few games you kind of pick it up and get comfortable, and every game after that just continuing to grow.
“I’ve seen what he’s been able to do – I think everyone has. I think it’s just fitting in with his position and fitting in with the program.”
Smith was one of two players to whom Mayer referred to as a “big brother.” The other was assistant coach P.J. Thompson, who he also called “my mentor.” Thompson, who also rode that playing time ups and downs before accepting a bigger role in Year 2, has also been a sounding board for the challenges of the grind.
Mayer’s upward trend shows up in more than his shooting. He went to the free throw line in only six of the first 21 games, but has reached it in four of the last six. He totaled only 10 steals in the first 21 games, but has one in four of the last six.
Mayer said he is ignoring judgments on his production and focusing on maximizing his opportunities. So, does he feel he’s start to accomplish that?
“I never feel satisfied,” Mayer said. “I never feel like I’m maximizing my potential. I always have room to improve.
“So my answer is no. I think I can do better. With that being said, I’m playing good. But again, I don’t care about that. It’s all over and all I care about is my next game.”
Nathan Baird and Sam King have the best Purdue sports coverage, and sign up for IndyStar's Boilermakers newsletter.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Omer Mayer 3-point shooting strengthens Purdue basketball offense