Purdue basketball adding analyst position

Purdue men's basketball coach Matt Painter has increasingly used analytics, including the occasional glance at plus-minus numbers in-game.

He'll have more help in that are beginning with the coming season. Last week Purdue posted a newly created analyst position.

According to the listing, the analyst would "develop algorithms and formulas to help define and translate statistical data into meaningful information to aid coaches in game strategy and team analysis."

The job requires two years of coaching or basketball administrative experience at the college level or higher. It also requires one year of basketball analytics experience.

Elliot Bloom, director of men's basketball operations, said a few dozen college coaches and others have reached out with recommendations or inquiries.

Analytics positions have become more common among Big Ten Conference football programs. Currently no other Big Ten men's basketball program lists an analytics position on its coaching staff, though other staff members often perform some version of those duties. Kevin Pauga, in his various positions at Michigan State, was one of the conference's trendsetters in that area.

Purdue has incorporated data collected by Associate Director of Sports Performance Josh Bonhotal in recent years. In theory, further analytics could help a coach determine the best lineup combinations and matchups against certain defenses as well as contributing to player development.

Purdue has not yet replaced video coordinator Kenneth Lowe, who left to become an assistant at Miami of Ohio for Jack Owens. That position may be replaced in a different form with more than one position.