Top-ranked Purdue is feeling good about its season as it heads into a post-Thanksgiving matchup against Eastern Illinois on Friday afternoon in West Lafayette, Ind.
The Boilermakers (6-0) have been idle since they rolled over then-No. 15 Texas Tech 86-56 in the Baha Mar championship game last Friday in the Bahamas.
Eastern Illinois (2-4) is playing its second nationally ranked opponent this month but has never faced a No. 1 team in the nation.
Purdue’s balance was on display in the win over Texas Tech, with seven players scoring in double figures. Oscar Cluff led the charge with 15 points and 15 rebounds as Purdue improved to 34-1 in the month of November since the start of the 2021-22 season.
Cluff is averaging 12 points and 11 rebounds per outing this season, and Fletcher Loyer is Purdue’s leading scorer at 16.3 points per game.
As good as the Boilermakers were on offense, it was the way the team rebounded and defended that stood out the most to coach Matt Painter in the easy victory over Texas Tech.
“Hats off to the guys. Our rebounding and defense, we’ve made strides in the last three weeks. I don’t think we’ve arrived, but a great effort by our guys,” said Painter, whose team will open Big Ten play on Tuesday at Rutgers.
The Boilermakers are averaging 86.5 ppg and giving up only 69. They hold a 10.3 edge in rebounding margin (42.3-32) and force nearly 10 turnovers (9.3) per game.
“It’s doing the little things,” Painter said. “As the game goes on, a lot of teams have slippage and lose details. You just have to stay with it. It’s easier to stay with it when you are seeing the results.”
The Panthers, meanwhile, are coming off an 81-60 loss at Central Arkansas on Tuesday and are 0-4 away from home. Their schedule has been rough, with road losses also to Valparaiso, Notre Dame and then-No. 9 Kentucky.
Senior guard Zion Fruster leads the way for Eastern Illinois, averaging 17.3 points per outing and reaching double figures in all four games he has played in this season. After missing two contests of an injury, he returned Tuesday and finished with 21 points off the bench.
The Panthers, who have dropped three of their past four games, are averaging 60.2 ppg and allowing 71.8. Kooper Jacobi has helped lead the team offensively, averaging 11.2 points. Terry McMorris (10.7) also is scoring in double figures.
Eastern Illinois can expect loud fans at Mackey Arena, Purdue’s home court, but the advantage of playing a tough non-conference schedule is gaining experience in such circumstances.
“The fans here are as good as anybody in the country,” Panthers coach Marty Simmons said after the 99-53 loss to Kentucky at Rupp Arena on Nov. 14. “I just really appreciate our guys having the opportunity to play in the environment. I just wish our guys would have responded just a little different.”
One noteworthy item is that Purdue could see the return of Liam Murphy for Friday’s game. The transfer from North Florida has been out since suffering a shoulder injury in practice on Nov. 15.
Painter said he isn’t sure if Murphy will return but is optimistic after the senior went back to full contact practice this week.
“He said he felt great,” Painter said. “You just want to make sure that, sometimes you come back a little too early, hurt it again and make it a longer time out. But that was good to see him get out there.”
