As college football coaches would with a freshman quarterback on the field, college basketball coaches often shudder at the thought of having an inexperienced point guard running their team.

But such life for Matt Painter this year.

"That is tough, because the guys you have who have the most experience do not have the basketball," the second-year Boilermaker men's basketball coach said before practice Wednesday. "That's a difficult task for anybody as a coach. But it's also a challenge for us as a staff to find the right mix."

After unspectacular, but reliable, senior Bryant Dillon ran the point for Purdue last season, the position will now be turned over to one of three players, if not all three.

Junior Tarrance Crump was supposed to be the point guard last season, but got suspended for the season and redshirted. At least he has a year of practice under his belt.

That's more that freshmen Keaton Grant and Chris Kramer - the other two players vying for minutes at the position - can say.

"We're looking to get the highest-quality five out there," Painter said, "so who's the ideal point guard is really going to come down to who plays the hardest and who earns those minutes in practice."

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