Morton Picks Purdue
BUTLER TWP — The process has ended early.
Butler junior point guard and all-time scoring leader Ethan Morton knows his college basketball destination after two-plus years of being recruited nationally by Division I schools.
Morton announced on Twitter Thursday night he has accepted a scholarship offer from Purdue University in the Big Ten.
He averaged 27.5 points, 10.3 rebounds and 8.1 assists per game for the Golden Tornado last season. Morton will enter his senior year with a school-record 1,673 career points.
“I was planning on making some college visits this summer and deciding just before my senior year,” the 6-foot-5 Morton said. “But I just completed my eight home visits and I had the feeling I knew where I wanted to go.
“I figured, why wait? Just end all of the stress and pressure now. It's been a fun process, but I'm happy it's over. I feel great about where I'm going.”
Purdue has reached the NCAA tournament in each of the past five years. The Boilermakers were 26-10 last season — 16-4 in the Big Ten — and reached the Elite Eight before losing to eventual national champion Virginia, 80-75, in overtime.
Butler coach Matt Clement described Purdue as “a program that plays the style of ball Ethan loves to play.
“They always have high offense efficiency and a lot of talented shooters. And Ethan knows how to set up shooters.”
Purdue averaged 76.6 points per game last season. Only Iowa (78.3) and Michigan State (77.6) averaged more points in the Big Ten.
Purdue coach Matt Painter is signed through the 2023-24 season. He is 321-159 in 14 years at Purdue, has taken the Boilermakers to the NCAA tourney 10 times and has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year on three occasions.
“I believe he's one of the best college basketball coaches in the country,” Morton said. “When he made his home visit with me, he laid everything out right in front of me.
“I like visuals and he showed me what players would be there when I get there, where I fit in, and what they were hoping for. No coach is going to make you any promises. They would be unrealistic anyway. But I got a true idea of what it will be like there and I love it.”
The other seven schools to pay a home visit to Morton were Iowa, Pitt, Indiana, Ohio State, Stanford, Michigan and Marquette.
“Ethan got to know all of those coaches and he genuinely liked all of those programs,” Clement said. “He didn't list a second choice or a third choice. He couldn't rank the rest.“When he told me where he wanted to go, I told him to sleep on it for a couple of nights, to be sure. He did and he is.”The atmosphere at Purdue home games — and at Big Ten games in general — is another thing that attracted Morton to the West Lafayette, Ind., campus.“The fans and community there are so supportive of the team,” he said. “The whole state of Indiana is basketball crazy.“The arena holds around 14,000 and they sell out every home game. Student tickets for next season are sold out already. It will be fun being a part of that.”Purdue did not use the same player at point guard all season in 2018-19. Ryan Cline, a senior this year, led the team with 120 assists. Carsen Edwards, who will be a senior next year, led the team with 24.3 points per game and was second with 104 assists.Clement figures Morton will see action there as a true freshman.“He may be the eighth man, the 10th man, a starter, but he's gonna play as long as he's healthy,” the Butler coach said. “I can't imagine him not playing.”Morton plans on seeing the floor.“It will be the biggest challenge of my life, adapting to that level, but I believe I'll be up to it,” he said.Morton carries a 4.2 grade point average and is ranked among the top three academically in his senior class. He plans to major in business finance.“When I'm done playing — whenever that is — I'm going to get into coaching,” Morton said. “I want to be able to handle money well.”With his college decision complete, he looks forward to handling business his senior year at Butler as well.“Now I can enjoy playing AAU ball this summer, the USA Basketball events, too,” Morton said. “When we're back on the court at Butler in the fall, it will be about winning the WPIAL and state championships.“That will definitely be my focus.”
