Advertisement

If healthy, Spike Albrecht could stabilize Purdue's point guard situation

If healthy, Spike Albrecht could stabilize Purdue's point guard situation

The improbable hero of Michigan's 2013 national title game appearance will finish his college basketball career at another Big Ten school.

Spike Albrecht announced Tuesday that he is transferring to Purdue.

A graduate transfer who has one more year of eligibility remaining, Albrecht should provide leadership for a Boilermakers team otherwise without a single scholarship senior. He also should have an opportunity to vie for playing time at point guard next season if he can stay healthy.

Albrecht's Michigan career ended last December due to a genetic hip condition that has hampered him for the past two seasons. The 5-foot-11 senior underwent two hip surgeries last offseason and only managed 1.9 points and 1.4 assists in 8.6 minutes per game last season.

When healthier, Albrecht has shown the ability to contribute far more than that at the Big Ten level even though he was lightly recruited out of high school.

Appalachian State was the only Division I school interested enough in Albrecht to offer the Northfield Mt. Hermon Prep guard a scholarship until Michigan learned of him in March 2012. The Wolverines were desperate for a point guard because they feared star Trey Burke might turn pro after his freshman year, so they gambled on Albrecht, promising a reserve role if Burke remained and the chance to compete for a starting gig if he left.

Burke stayed one more year but Albrecht still found a way to make a memorable contribution as a freshman. He had seven points in the Elite Eight against Florida, sank two big threes in the Final Four against Syracuse and memorably erupted for 17 points in the first half of the national title game against Louisville after early foul trouble sidelined Burke. Michigan ultimately lost but Albrecht garnered enough newfound fame that he asked Kate Upton out on a date via social media the next day.

What Purdue has to hope is that it's getting the player who averaged 7.5 points and 3.9 assists per game as a junior at Michigan. If so, Albrecht could be an impact player for a Boilermakers team that reached the NCAA tournament last season but often struggled against full-court pressure, especially in a season-ending late collapse against Arkansas Little Rock.

Purdue does return P.J. Thompson, a junior-to-be who started at point guard throughout the postseason and averaged 5.7 points and 2.7 assists. Incoming freshman Carsen Edwards has the potential to someday be the scoring threat at point guard the Boilermakers have lacked in recent years. But Albrecht could be the best of the bunch next season if healthy — or at the very least could come off the bench to provide 15-20 steady minutes per game.

The past three offseasons, Purdue has added a graduate transfer at point guard with mostly beneficial results. Sterling Carter was a capable backup to Ronnie Johnson, Jon Octeus earned honorable mention all-Big Ten honors and helped Purdue return to the NCAA tournament and Johnny Hill was a part-time starter last season before ceding the position to Thompson late in the year.

Albrecht is a riskier addition because of his injury history, but he is capable of following in the footsteps of those players if healthy.

- - - - - - -

Jeff Eisenberg is the editor of The Dagger on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at daggerblog@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter!