Purdue's chance to compete for the 2011 national title improved on Saturday when JaJuan Johnson and E'Twaun Moore told coach Matt Painter they would return for their senior season.
Painter said in a text message they would return to school. The NCAA's deadline to withdraw from the NBA draft was at 5 p.m. ET Saturday.
Johnson and Moore will join Robbie Hummel on next year's likely Big Ten favorite.
Hummel is recovering from an ACL surgery. All three have been members of an all-conference team at some point in their careers. They give the Boilermakers a trio of elite seniors at a power-six conference school in this early entry era.
Johnson was projected as a second-round pick. Moore ran the risk of not getting drafted.
Andy Katz is a senior college basketball writer for ESPN.com.
