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My apologies for missing this one the other day:
Source: Purdue will host Rider as part of its 20-21 non-conference schedule.
— Jon Rothstein (@JonRothstein) March 21, 2020
This is only the second time Purdue and Rider have faced off. The first came during the mostly forgettable 2013-14 season. Purdue beat the Broncs 81-77 in the third game of the season. Ronnie Johnson led Purdue with 16 points and Terone Johnson had 14, but it was a far, far too close game.
Rider has only made the NCAA Tournament three times, last in 1994. As the regular season champion in the NEC in 2018 they played in the NIT. This past season they were 18-12 and the No. 3 seed in their conference tournament before it was cancelled, so they had a shot at making the NCAAs.
This is still expected to be a bodybag game though. They lost 65-37 at Wisconsin in their lone Big Ten game of last year. Dimencio Vaughn is expected to return as their top scorer at 14.8 points, 6.6 rebounds, and 1.9 assists. Frederick Scott from Munster also returns as a double-digit scorer.
Here is Purdue’s known schedule for next year:
TBD - Rider
TBD - Yale
TBD - ACC/Big Ten Challenge (likely road game)
November 24 vs. Illinois State, Clemson, or Mississippi State (Cancun Challenge)
November 25 vs. Illinois State, Clemson, or Mississippi State (Cancun Challenge)
December 13 vs. West Virginia (Barclay’s Center, Brooklyn, NY)
December 19 vs. Notre Dame (Crossroads Classic, Bankers Life Fieldhouse)
This leaves four more sports, with one possibly being a home Gavitt Games game against a Big East opponent.