Nathan Baird

nbaird@jconline.com

Purdue freshman Vince Edwards

took a simple yet effective philosophy into his first weekend of college basketball.

"My role is just playing hard and trying to help the team win," Edwards said after Sunday's victory over IUPUI. "Whatever I can bring to the team to help the team win, whether it's getting rebounds or making open shots or making an extra pass, I just want to win — that's it.

"All the coaches, they all believe in me. I just want to play hard and help us win."

That approach paid off in an impressive debut weekend for the Middletown, Ohio, native. On Monday, the Big Ten Conference recognized him as Big Ten Freshman of the Week.

He is the first Boilermaker to earn the honor since Bryson Scott on Nov. 25 and Dec. 16 last season.

"Vince is a good decision maker," Purdue coach Matt Painter said Sunday. "He knows what's going on out there. His No. 1 thing, I've always felt like in recruiting him, was his ability to rebound. Then as I started watching him more, his passing — those two things are so important in basketball."

Edwards debuted with 13 points, eight rebounds and two assists in an 80-40 victory over Samford. On Sunday, he collected 26 points, eight rebounds and three blocks in a 77-57 victory over IUPUI, becoming the first freshman in school history to post that stat line.

The 6-foot-7 Edwards shot 16-for-23 from the field (69.6 percent) and 4-for-8 from 3-point range. He helped Purdue post back-to-back 20-point victories for the first time since November 2011.

"Him rebounding the basketball allowed us to get some easy buckets," Purdue senior guard Jon Octeus said of Edwards' Sunday performance. "It allowed us to get some paint touches and some points in the paint."

Michigan State's Travis Trice was named Big Ten Player of the Week after scoring 25 points with five rebounds and five assists against no turnovers in the Spartans' victory over Navy.

Thursday's game

Grambling State (0-1) at Purdue (2-0)

Time: 7 p.m.

TV: BTN Plus

Radio: 95.7 FM