The curtain raises on Purdue's season of great expectations.
The No. 7 Boilermakers take on Cal State Northridge tonight at Mackey Arena as both teams play their first game.
Cal State Northridge last season made the NCAA Tournament -- the program's second trip -- overcoming a series of unfortunate events, before losing to Memphis 81-70 as a No. 15 seed to finish 17-14. The Matadors, who have won back-to-back Big West regular-season titles, were picked third in this preseason's conference poll, after losing five of their top six scorers. They do bring back three players who started, with Willie Galick the top returning scorer at 9.3 points per game. Three junior college transfers in Lenny Daniel, Kevin Menner and Rashaun McLemore were expected to start tonight against Purdue.
"I think they're very athletic," said Purdue coach Matt Painter, who is 4-0 in season openers with the Boilermakers.
"They're going to get into you, pressure you, get after you on the wings."
Painter also said the Matadors play some zone defense, though they didn't show it much in their two exhibition games, crash the boards and use 12 players.
Northridge went 2-0 in its preseason games, as did the Boilermakers. They got a taste of zone against California of Pennsylvania, and faced some physical play against Kentucky Wesleyan, aiding their preparation for the regular season.
"Coach Painter did a good job bringing in two quality teams that play two different styles," said junior forward Rob Hummel, who averaged a team-high 11.5 points in the two exhibitions.
Sophomore guard Lewis Jackson tonight will serve the final game of his three-game suspension, and freshman forward Sandi Marcius continues to be sidelined -- likely until at least December -- with a broken bone in his right foot. Painter on Wednesday said freshman guard Kelsey Barlow will not redshirt this season.
In July before last season, Northridge coach Bobby Braswell was in a serious car crash, missing close to a month of work. In January, the Matadors' leading scorer and the coach's son were arrested in connection with an alleged burglary and dismissed from the team. Then in February, their point guard was nearly killed in a car crash.
http://www.post-trib.com/sports/osipoff/1881878,bkc-purdue-114.article
Friday, November 13, 2009
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