Coming off a three-point win over Wisconsin, No. 19 Purdue has fought through injuries to Robbie Hummel and Chris Kramer. Sophomore guard E’Twaun Moore has been Mr. Consistency for the Boilermakers, averaging 14.3 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
The Daily’s Matt Forman talked with the 6-foot-4 star at Big Ten Media Day.
Daily Sports: You went 10-of-15 from the field for 28 points against Northwestern in Evanston last year. Was there something about Welsh-Ryan Arena that made you comfortable?
E’Twaun Moore: I definitely like the environment. I’m from East Chicago, so it’s almost kind of a home game for me. It’s not really that far from my house, so a lot of family came to see the game. It was definitely a comfortable environment. I really liked it.
DS: Given that you played so well in Welsh-Ryan Arena, what’s your favorite arena to play in the Big Ten?
EM: Of course, home. I always say home. We always get that extra advantage. It’s starting to get a lot more attention, an improved student section. Hopefully they’ll be our sixth man.
DS: Last year you shot .434 from 3-point range. Now that the NCAA has moved the 3-point line back one foot, what will it do to college basketball?
EM: I think it’ll help spread the game out. I think it’ll be a positive thing for the game. It’s not going to clog the lane up as much. I think it’ll be good.
DS: What will the extension of the 3-point line do to your game specifically?
EM: It will definitely help me out with driving, going to the basket. It’ll be easier to penetrate in the lane. It’ll have a good effect for me.
DS: What expectations do you have for the team this season?
EM: Win championships. That’s definitely what we’re trying to do, starting with a Big Ten championship. Then we’ll see from there.
DS: What’s your favorite movie and why?
EM: “Hardball.” How the kids were kind of reminded me of how me and some of my friends were when we were younger.
DS: What music are you listening to on your iPod right now?
EM: I’m going to have Jay-Z on. If you’re going to listen to my iPod, you’ve definitely got to have something with Jay-Z.
DS: Which one of Jay-Z’s songs is your favorite?
EM: ‘Song Cry,’ without a doubt.
DS: Is that the one song you would listen to before a game?
EM: No, I’d probably go with ‘Dig a Hole’ by Jay-Z instead.
DS: You are a consistent player that plays well night-in and night-out. Do you have a pre-game ritual that gets you in the right mindset?
EM: No, I don’t have any rituals. I try not to bring bad luck or superstitions.
DS: What are you like off the court?
EM: I’m laid-back, cool. I’m easy to get along with, social. I’m good at meeting new people, meeting friends, networking and things like that. Just a cool person.
DS: What do you like most about being a student-athlete at Purdue?
EM: How everyone reacts to you. The fans and everyone: they treat you good. They see you out sometimes and say hello, so I sign autographs, things like that. It makes you feel good to be acknowledged.
DS: Who is your favorite guy on the team to hang out with? And who is the funniest guy on the team?
EM: I don’t think I have a favorite, we all kind of hang out together. It’s kind of hard to pick just one. Funniest, I’d say Marcus Green.
DS: Coach Izzo is intense on the sideline, but what’s he like away from the court?
EM: He’s definitely laid-back, cool, definitely a good friend. If you need anything personal, you can always talk to him.
DS: Of all the teams in the Big Ten, which opponent do you least look forward to playing?
EM: We always look forward to playing all the teams, especially the harder teams. We take it as a great challenge. It’s kind of hard playing Northwestern, especially with the zone. It’s always like, “Oh man, here they come with this defense.”
DS: There are a lot of prominent scorers in the Big Ten. Who is the toughest one to defend?
EM: Kalin Lucas from Michigan State, he gave us a lot of problems.
