We don't know the full roster yet, but after yesterday's release of the Big Ten-ACC Challenge for 2013 the picture of the full 2013-14 Men's basketball schedule is coming into focus. Here is what we know:
October 30 Indianapolis (Exhibition)
November 4 Wayne State (Exhibition)
November 8 Northern Kentucky
November 13 Central Connecticut State
November 17 Rider
November 20 Eastern Illinois
That is based on these Tweets from the official Purdue basketball twitter:
We'll host Northern Kentucky on Nov. 8 and Central Connecticut State on Nov. 13. #BoilerUp
— Purdue Basketball (@BoilerBall) May 9, 2013
Next up on the non-con schedule are home games against Rider (Nov. 17) and Eastern Illinois (Nov. 20). #BoilerUp
— Purdue Basketball (@BoilerBall) May 9, 2013
We'll play exhibition games against Indianapolis (Oct. 30) and Wayne State (Nov. 4). #BoilerUp
— Purdue Basketball (@BoilerBall) May 9, 2013
Northern Kentucky is in the transition phase of moving up to Division I, but has twice been the Division II runner-up. They are joining the Atlantic Sun Conference. They won't be postseason eligible until 2016.
Central Connecticut State has been to the NCAAs three times since 2000 out of the Northeast Conference.
November 24 Siena (Old Spice Classic)
The latest update said that Purdue will play Siena in West Lafayette as the 4th game in the Old Spice Classic, thus not counting against the regular total of games and still leaving two non-conference slots open. It also means the two likely won't meet in Orlando.
We'll play four games in the Old Spice Classic, hosting Siena on Nov. 24 before playing in Orlando on Nov. 28 and 29 & Dec. 1. #BoilerUp
— Purdue Basketball (@BoilerBall) May 9, 2013
November 28-December 1: Old Spice Classic, Orlando, FL
Purdue will definitely get a few good games in the three it will play here. Butler, LSU, Memphis, Oklahoma State, St. Joseph's, Siena, and Washington State make this field a very good one. If Purdue can pick up two wins, especially if one is not against Siena (likely the worst team in the field) they would be resume wins. It also opens the door for the chance to play Butler twice in 14 days. Siena, Butler, and St. Joseph's have all been recent opponents.
December 4 Boston College
As we know, this is the Big Ten-ACC Challenge game
December 7 Eastern Michigan
The Eagles complete their third game in an apparent two-for-one as Purdue hosts the team that gave it its most embarrassing loss of 2012-13.
On Dec. 4, we'll host BC in the #B1GACC and then host Eastern Michigan on Dec. 7. #BoilerUp
— Purdue Basketball (@BoilerBall) May 9, 2013
December 14 vs. Butler at Bankers Life Fieldhouse
The Crossroads Classic is back. Indiana and Notre Dame will also play that day in a Meteor Game.
December 17 Maryland-Eastern Shore
As expected, this is a buy game that should be an automatic win.
As is already known, we'll play Butler at Bankers Life Fieldhouse on Dec. 14. We'll then host Maryland Eastern Shore on Dec. 17. #BoilerUp
— Purdue Basketball (@BoilerBall) May 9, 2013
December 21 at West Virginia
The Boilers owe West Virginia a return game after they played at Mackey this past year.
We'll cap off the non-conference season in Morgantown when we face West Virginia on Dec. 21. #BoilerUp
— Purdue Basketball (@BoilerBall) May 9, 2013
Big Ten slate
The Big Ten has already announced that the last two year cycle of one-play teams will be two-play teams, so Purdue knows it will play Ohio State, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Nebraska twice. It's four one-play teams (two at home, two away) will come from Michigan, Indiana, Northwestern, Penn State, Iowa, Illinois, and Michigan State. I am hoping the Big Ten is not dumb enough to make Indiana and Purdue play only once.
As for the rest, we can likely expect much of the non-conference to be filled with mid- to low-majors since there are already six really good games on the schedule. Purdue already has a BCS-level true road game, but they could add a home game against a similar foe for a future road trip. With that Old Spice Classic slate plus guaranteed games against major conference foes in West Virginia, Butler, and Boston College I don't expect too much heft to be added.
I would love to see us schedule a home and home with Tennessee because of Cuanzo Martin, starting with the Volunteers coming to Mackey this year. That game would be perfect to add with the usual slate of mid- and low- majors that fill out the non-conference schedule.
Last year Purdue played 13 games out of conference with four (Bucknell, Hofstra, Villanova, and Oregon State) coming in its exempt tournament, thus counting as only one against the schedule. This year's exempt tournament is the Old Spice Classic and the recently announced home game vs. Siena counts as a 4th game in it, so Purdue only has one non-conference slot left to fill plus the 18 Big Ten games.
The NCAA limits teams to 27 games with up to four games in an "exempt" tournament like Old Spice not counting against that 27 game total. So far, counting the 18 conference games, 26 games plus the Old Spice Classic have been announced, leaving just one other spot to fill. UPDATE: It looks like it was filled by Maryland-Eastern Shore