Isaac Haas’ injury makes Purdue vs. Butler a lot more interesting

Everything changed for Purdue basketball when its 7’2 center, Isaac Haas, came crashing to the floor with nine minutes to go in a blowout win over Cal State-Fullerton. He landed on and fractured his right elbow. That’s his shooting hand.

The No. 2 Boilermakers, a team that lost six games all season, are now looking at a real battle against No. 10 Butler, possibly without their centerpiece who averages 15 points per game and six rebounds.

Haas was ruled out for the entire tournament hours after the injury on Friday, but since, there’s speculation that he may play with a brace on his elbow. Even if he steps on the court though, he won’t be nearly 100 percent effective.

Butler is coming off a win against No. 7 Arkansas, which it went up 21-2 against to start the first half. The Razorbacks fought back, but ultimately lost 79-62. The Bulldogs are an under-seeded No. 10 seed, making them a dangerous opponent before Haas went down. They have KenPom’s No. 25 offense, and No. 39 defense. They’re balanced and have beaten the No. 1 Villanova Wildcats.

Can the Boilermakers survive?

Isaac Haas might play in a brace

Haas practiced in a brace, and it’s not impossible that he could suit up and play against Butler on Sunday. He needs to be cleared by the NCAA to use the brace, and head coach Matt Painter will probably advise him against playing, but he could get in there.

Nobody knows how effective he’ll be with a fractured elbow in his shooting hand, but what’s undeniable is that Haas’ height has not changed. He’ll be a massive presence even if he’s only able to lift his left hand up to block shots. He’ll be susceptible to intentional fouling if it comes down to it, because it’s tough to imagine he’ll be able to shoot free throws, but anyone with his height can find use on a court, even without a functioning hand.

The fuss about his injury may be for no reason.

If Haas ultimately can’t play in this one, Purdue has another 7’3 big, though he’s about 40 pounds thinner. It’s nice to be a Boilermaker sometimes.

Haarms isn’t the offensive threat Haas is, but he’s lanky and can cause real trouble defending the lane. He’s as good a backup big as a team could hope for. In 16 minutes, Haarms is averaging five points and three rebounds along with two blocks — that’s twice the swats Haas was delivering seven more minutes.

Haarms isn’t going to replace the full 15 points Haas scored per game, but on the defensive end, he’s a force. This game will be a test to see how he can play in extended minutes. That’ll be his role next season when Haas is gone, after all.

Haas was a close fourth in field goal attempts per game for the Boilers, with three other guards/wings carrying out the offensive duties. They’ll need to step up now.

Seniors Dakota Mathias and Vince Edwards, and sophomore Carsen Edwards, are the Boilers top three scorers, and average a combined 44.5 points per game. They’ll need to maximize their output in Haas’. The good news is they’ve performed well against the Bulldogs before.

In a 15-point Dec. win over Butler, Haas scored his usual 15 points, but everyone else stepped up too. Vince Edwards had 15 points on 10 shots, Mathias had 14 on eight and Carsen Edwards had 18 points on 12 shots.

If they did it once, it’s reasonable to think this can happen again.

There are a lot of ifs depending on Haas’ health, but it’s silly to think his absence spells doom for a team that’s so much more than just him. His protege Haarms should be able to pick up some of the slack, and Purdue’s wings and guards are talented and battle-tested.

Butler is a sound unit, but this Purdue team can survive — at least for now — in a post-Haas world.