After starting the season 0-2, Matt Painter decided to mix some things up on Monday night against Illinois. He changed the starting lineup, a choice that paid off with a 76-59 victory for the Boilermakers to get their first win of the season.

Now, Purdue heads into Friday's matchup against Ohio, trying to even its record at 2-2. This is another tough mid-major opponent for the Boilers, one that has plenty of success under head coach Jeff Boals.

On Thursday, Painter spoke with reporters about improvements his team made on Monday. He also previewed Friday's matchup against the Bobcats. There's plenty to dissect from his latest presser.

How Purdue can continue to improve offensively

Shooting was an issue for the Boilermakers in the first two games, especially from behind the three-point line. They made just 10 of 49 attempts against Gonzaga and Valparaiso. That's not a recipe for success.

Purdue took better shots against Illinois State, which resulted in more makes. But one thing Painter would like to see from his team is to crash the offensive glass a little harder and get out into transition more.

That should generate more scoring opportunities for Purdue.

"I'd like to see more offensive rebounding, would like to see more sprinting in transition, more details in transition," Painter said. "You want to push the basketball and we've gotta be able to push the basketball to create opportunities for ourselves, and we have to get on the offensive glass. Those two areas can really help, because the efficiency of your offense and your execution takes time."

Shooting mid-range shots

Analytics tend to drive coaches away from shooting mid-range jumpers. That's not the case for Purdue. This is a team full of skilled shooters, even if they've had some early-season struggles.

Painter doesn't mind players taking mid-range jump shots if they've proven they can make them. Several guys on the roster have done so in past seasons and in practice.

"You have to be good at it. If you're not, you're going to have to make that adjustment. You're not taking pull-ups out of convenience; you're taking pull-ups because you're making them at a good percentage," he said. "And if you can't make them at a good percentage, you need to curtail that or eliminate it. But we have some guys who can shoot it."

If Purdue struggles to make shots in the mid-range regularly, Painter would likely change some things offensively. Right now, it's too early to put the kibosh on those mid-range shots.

The play of Luke Ertel

In Monday night's win over Illinois, Ertel was on the floor down the stretch. He only scored three points, but he grabbed three rebounds and was a solid defender.

One of the qualities Painter likes about Ertel is the tenacity with which he plays. The freshman is still learning how to be productive in limited minutes, but that's not an uncommon problem for youngsters in their first season.

"It shows in practice. It shows every day with him. You don't doubt his effort. And sometimes with guys, it's not that they're not playing hard; they just don't understand how competitive you have to be," Painter said. "He's a competitive kid. He's that way. Now it's more, 'How do I play when my usage isn't high?' I like his aggressiveness. I like his knack for looking to score."

Ertel is averaging 2.7 points and 2.0 rebounds per game in his first three college games. He's also logging 14.3 minutes per contest.

What challenges does Ohio present?

Ohio enters Friday's game with a 2-0 record, beating South Alabama and North Carolina A&T. The Bobcats like to push the pace, ranking 84th in KenPom's adjusted tempo. They're averaging 83 points per game and are shooting 50% from the field through two games.

What challenges will Ohio present Purdue when it walks into Mackey Arena this weekend?

"They've been very successful in the MAC. Coach Boals has done a really good job," Painter said. "You know they're going to compete ... they push the basketball. They've signed some guys who can really shoot the basketball. They have good size and can spread the court, and then they have good skill. They're very versatile.

"We have to be prepared for them in transition, but we also have to be prepared for them in the half-court with the stuff they run."

Six players are scoring in double figures for the Bobcats through the first two games. They have several offensive weapons who can present problems.