Purdue parts ways with F Basil Smotherman

Purdue and forward Basil Smotherman mutually agreed to part ways, the school announced Sunday before the 20th-ranked Boilermakers played at Nebraska.

Purdue coach Matt Painter's statement indicated that Smotherman did not conform to the requirements for players in the program.

"There are standards and expectations that our student-athletes must follow and Basil has not met these guidelines," Painter said in a news release. "We have mutually agreed the best route for him is to no longer be a member of our squad."

The redshirt junior was placed on suspension to begin this season after an offseason arrest for possession of paraphernalia at a traffic stop. He sat out preseason games and the regular-season opener against McNeese State before returning.

After Smotherman's reinstatement, he saw limited action in 18 games, averaging 3.9 points, 1.7 rebounds, 0.8 assists and 12.1 minutes.

Smotherman's departure is not expected to have a major impact for Purdue (17-4, 6-2 Big Ten), which is in contention for a Big Ten championship.

The Boilermakers did not bring the 6-foot-6 Smitherman on the trip to Nebraska. The fourth-year player sat out two of Purdue's last four games and was averaging only nine minutes in conference games.

As a true freshman, Smotherman started 16 games and averaged 5.0 points and 3.8 rebounds. The following year, he saw action in all 34 games, most of those coming off the bench.

Last season, Smotherman was redshirted because Purdue was well-stocked with frontcourt players.

Smotherman was the last member of the 2013 recruiting class still with the Boilermakers. Bryson Scott transferred to Indiana-Purdue-Fort Wayne and Kendall Stephens left for Nevada.