WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Steven Crowl doesn’t typically shy away from a challenge.

Wisconsin was brutalized twice in last year’s regular season by Purdue center Zach Edey. Last year’s national player of the year averaged 21.5 points, 13.5 rebounds (seven offensive), and shot 51.8 percent from the field, a key reason why Purdue won by six in Madison and eight at Mackey Arena.

So, when Edey started playing his brand of bully ball early in last March’s Big Ten Tournament semifinals, Crowl didn’t back down. After Edey was called for a loose-ball foul on an offensive rebound, he and Crowl stared the other day and trash-talked. Both players were assessed a technical foul, which was great news for Wisconsin considering Edey went to the bench with two fouls.

UW won that game in overtime and advanced to the Big Ten Tournament championship.

“Whoever we play, I got to be more aggressive,” Crowl said at the time. “It really doesn’t matter of the matchup. Whether it’s Zach Edey or a smaller guy on me, just try to be aggressive in all facets of the game.”

Edey is gone from Purdue, much to the delight of 17 other Big Ten teams, but the Boilermakers are again thriving on offense because of the growth of junior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn. Averaging 6.4 points in 16.9 minutes as a sophomore, Kaufman-Renn leads No.7 Purdue in points (19.0) and rebounds (6.4) entering tomorrow’s matchup against Crowl and the Badgers.

The growth is twofold. After redshirting his first season, Kaufman-Renn played bench minutes his freshman year. He was elevated to the starting lineup his sophomore year playing next to Edey. He then spent the offseason remaking his body to handle the added responsibilities.

Not a threat to shoot from the perimeter (3-for-7), Kaufman-Renn typically pinches the post, and Purdue develops its offensive game plan around his presence. As a result, Kaufman-Renn is the only player nationally to average 18.0 points, 6.0 rebounds, 2.0 assists, and shoot at least 60 percent from the field. Only three other players in Big Ten history have done that. Not surprisingly, one of them was Edey last season.

“(Purdue coach) Matt (Painter) told me years ago when Trey was a freshman that he thought Trey had the potential to be an all-conference player if he continued to develop,” head coach Greg Gard said. “Waiting in line behind Zach, rightful so … he’s evolved into a high-level player for them.”

With point guard Braden Smith being one of the country’s top facilitators (second nationally at 8.6 assists per game), the pair has averaged a combined 35.4 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 11.1 assists per game. No tandem has averaged those numbers since California's Jason Kidd and Lamond Murray in 1993-94.

“They have great chemistry in the pick-and-roll, and Kaufman-Renn had made himself a great player,” Crowl said. “He's shown it this year. The chemistry between those two (Smith and Kaufman-Renn) that’s formed, because it’s been Edey for so long, has been the big thing for them.”

Crowl has responded to the challenge thrown down by his teammates and Gard, as he did with Edey in the postseason. After a nine-point, zero-rebound game in an 86-80 loss to Illinois in December, he was challenged to play with more urgency and aggression. His minutes were even altered to give him the tools to perform at maximum efficiency.

UW is 11-2 since losing to Illinois with Crowl averaging 10.8 points and 6.2 rebounds. He has shot 61.2 percent (52-85 overall and 11-28 3FGs). With Northwestern, Indiana, and Iowa peppering him with double teams, Crowl has attempted fewer than five shots per game but has limited turnovers (1.3 TOs over the last 13 games) and been productive in other areas.

“I’m getting more comfortable,” Crowl said. “Not only me, but the team around me is getting comfortable because they are used to seeing that extra guy come toward me. Just trying to play out of it as a team is the big thing. I’ve had a few turnovers here and there, but for the most part, my teammates have done a great job helping me out with the double team does come.”

Crowl’s ability to find a rhythm offensively has carried over to the defense. He had at least seven rebounds against the Wildcats and Hawkeyes, a career-high three steals over Iowa after posting two against Indiana, and blocked a shot in nine consecutive games. He’s blocked 15 shots this season, two away from tying his career high.

Playing the final 7 minutes, 59 seconds against Iowa, Crowl was part of a defensive effort that gave up just six points over that stretch.

Since allowing 30 points in the paint to an 85-83 loss to UCLA, the Badgers have held four of five opponents to 20 points or fewer in the paint.

It’ll be a success-by-committee approach against Kaufman-Renn, who against Michigan became the first Big Ten player in 20 years to shoot at least 19 two-point field goal attempts without a free throw attempt in a conference game.

“I think it’s learning from our mistakes earlier in the year,” Crowl said. “Even when we win, there’s certain things that can be better. The coaches have been good about watching the film and helping me, Nolan (Winter), Carter (Gilmore), (Xavier Amos) on those things we need to be better with. The big thing is we’re going in more prepared as big guys and have a better plan of what we’re trying to do.”

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