INDIANAPOLIS — Gicarri Harris gets more discouraged by a missed defensive assignment than a misfired shot attempt.
Despite shooting struggles, Purdue basketball coaches maintain the same stance for a roster full of players who always have the green light: if you have a good look, let it fly.
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In Saturday’s 88-60 win over Auburn at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, Harris did just that.
The sophomore guard made 4 of 6 from 3-point range after making just 7 of 25 attempts from beyond the arc in the team’s first 11 games, which included going 3-for-4 at Rutgers.
“It felt great,” Harris said after Saturday’s win. “For me it was just coming into the game ready to shoot. It’s tough sometimes when you sit out a little bit and have to come in.”
Harris was a starter early last season and made a 3-pointer in each of his first three career games. In his final start, Harris went 0-for-3 from 3 at Marquette. C.J. Cox was inserted into the starting lineup and Harris has been a reserve since.
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Can Saturday’s shooting display spark Harris contributions from 3 in the post-Christmas portion of the schedule?
Purdue Boilermakers guard Gicarri Harris (24) celebrates a 3-pointer Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025, during a 2025 Indy Classic game between the Purdue Boilermakers and the Auburn Tigers at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. The Boilermakers defeated the Tigers, 88-60.
That was the case a year ago after seeing one go down against, of all opponents, Auburn.
Harris was marred in a 4-for-26 slump from 3 before he made a 3 against the Tigers in a basket that mattered little in the outcome but meant a lot for Harris moving forward.
Including a 3-pointer with 5:19 to go in a blowout loss to Auburn last year in Birmingham, Harris finished his freshman campaign going 18 of 45 from 3 after that woeful beginning to his career. That stretch shooting 40% from 3 raised his percentage to 31.0 by season’s end.
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“He really shot the ball well all summer and all fall,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said. “Then at the start of the season, exhibition games and scrimmages, he shot the ball well. Then he got into the games and it’s a little bit harder when you don’t get the minutes or the reps.
On Saturday, Harris’ season 3-point percentage jumped from 28.0 to 35.5.
Painter is a believer in “water finds its level” and Harris’ breakout Saturday may play a hand in that, which could factor into Purdue’s Big Ten title hopes.
“He can really shoot the basketball,” Painter said. “Great teams have more than five starters and I think we showed that (against Auburn).”
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Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue basketball sophomore has breakout performance vs Auburn