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Preview: Bucknell at Purdue
The Boilermakers open their 2012-13 season by hosting traditional Patriot League power Bucknell in the first round of the 2K Sports Classic benefitting Wounded Warrior Project. Purdue, coming off its school record-tying sixth straight 20-win season, has a young squad trying to replace the veteran leadership that came from former standout forward Robbie Hummel and veteran guards Lewis Jackson and Ryne Smith. The Boilermakers have won 26 consecutive non-conference home games and the next win at Mackey Arena will be the 100th since head coach Matt Painter took over eight years ago. Bucknell returns four starters from a team that won 25 games last year and advanced to the second round of the NIT after winning at top-seeded Arizona in the first round.
TV: 7 p.m. ET, Big Ten Digital Network.
ABOUT BUCKNELL (2011-12: 25-10): The Bison have won the Patriot League two straight years and went 12-2 in the conference last season, but were knocked off by Lehigh in the title game. Bucknell returns two preseason All-Patriot League standouts in center Mike Muscala and guard Cameron Ayers. Muscala, the 2011 PL Player of the Year, averaged 17.0 points and a league-best 9.1 rebounds last year while tying the school record with 16 double-doubles. Ayers, a second team All-PL performer as a sophomore, averaged 11.1 points and led the league in three-point shooting (46.8). Ayers committed just 35 turnovers while starting all 35 games.
ABOUT PURDUE (2011-12: 21-12): From one of the most experienced teams in the Big Ten, the Boilermakers are now one of the league’s youngest as five true freshmen dot the roster. Senior guard D.J. Byrd, one of the top shooters in the conference, is the most experienced returnee. Byrd, who is sixth among active players in the Big Ten with 116 three-pointers, was the league’s Sixth Man of the Year in 2011-12. The Boilermakers will likely start the Johnson brother guard tandem of Terone and Ronnie. Terone, a 6-2 junior, led the team in scoring in the postseason last year (15.5) and in field goal percentage (47.2). Younger brother Ronnie, a 6-0 freshman, averaged 13.5 points in two exhibition wins. Purdue led the nation last year averaging just 8.7 turnovers per game.
TIP-INS:
1. Purdue will host Hofstra in the second round of the 2K Sports Classic on Sunday before going to New York City next week for the championship round where the Boilermakers meet Villanova on Nov. 15 at Madison Square Garden.
2. The Boilermakers have never lost to a school from the Patriot League (3-0), having beaten Army, Colgate, and Lafayette.
3. Bucknell has never beaten an active member of the Big Ten. All 24 of the Bison wins over Penn State came before the Nittany Lions joined the conference.
PREDICTION: Purdue 71, Bucknell 60
