Omer Mayer Struggles Again as Purdue Downs Ohio 80-62
Israeli guard Omer Mayer continues to struggle at Purdue, finishing scoreless in a win over Ohio as local media and coach Matt Painter address his early-season shooting slump.
The challenging start to the college basketball season continues for Omer Mayer. The Israeli guard, who entered the year with high expectations at Purdue, struggled once again, finishing scoreless in an 80-62 victory over Ohio.
Mayer played just nine minutes, missing all five of his field goal attempts—including four from beyond the arc—while recording one rebound, one assist, two steals, and two turnovers. Local media criticism has grown increasingly sharp.
Writing on the SB Nation blog Hammer and Rails, journalist Andrew Ledman noted: "Omer Mayer continues to struggle, and in his current state, it is almost impossible to play him. He played only nine minutes and went 0-for-5 from the field. I am not sure what Matt Painter can do to jumpstart him, but it has to happen soon."
This is not the first time this week that Ledman has criticized the Israeli guard. Prior to the matchup against Illinois State, he suggested shifting the lineup, noting that Purdue urgently needs him to rediscover the form he displayed late last season.
Painter has already begun making adjustments, moving Mayer out of the starting lineup. Against Ohio, Luke Ertel got the nod, while Antion West contributed 17 points and four assists off the bench.
Mayer's statistics are a cause for concern. Through the first four games of the season, he has scored just 13 points, shooting 4-for-30 from the field (13.3 percent). Following the win over Ohio, Painter addressed his team's struggles and the inconsistency of his younger players.
"We have good pieces. We have talented players. We also have youth, and you see that manifest itself, which is where the inconsistency comes from," the coach said, pointing to poor decision-making and predictable offensive plays.
