Purdue has a lot of new players in much more significant roles than last men's basketball season. So Boilermaker coach Matt Painter can find some comfort that his young team won't be thrown into the fire once it reaches Big Ten play to the degree that it could have been.
The Boilermakers found out their Big Ten Conference schedule on Thursday and Purdue will be able to enjoy the comforts of Mackey Arena - at least initially.
The Boilermakers will host Illinois on Jan. 2 to open Big Ten play, marking the first time since the 2008-09 season that Purdue has begun its conference slate at home. The Boilers also hosted Illinois in their conference opener four seasons ago.
Purdue will play three of its first four conference games at home, welcoming the Illini, Ohio State and Penn State to Mackey Arena from Jan. 2-13. The lone road date in that stretch is a visit to Michigan State on Jan. 5.
The Boilermakers will get their first crack at rival Indiana in West Lafayette on Jan. 30, and will venture to Bloomington on Feb. 16. Purdue will get its final two Big Ten games at home, playing Michigan and Minnesota on March 6 and 9, respectively.
Purdue's two home single plays during the 2013 Big Ten season are OSU (Jan. 8) and Minnesota, while its two road single-play opponents are Nebraska (Jan. 16) and Wisconsin (wild card – March 2 or 3).
Per Purdue's previously-released non-conference schedule, the Boilermakers will dip outside the league on Jan. 19 for a matchup with West Virginia in a continuation of the series that began on Jan. 1, 2010. The teams split a pair of games in 2010 and 2011, each defending its home court. WVU is in its first season as a member of the Big 12 Conference.
Boilers set to battle
The Purdue men's basketball 2012-13 Big Ten dates and opponents include:
Jan. 2 vs. Illinois
Jan. 5 at Michigan State
Jan. 8 vs. Ohio State
Jan. 13 vs. Penn State
Jan. 16 at Nebraska
Jan. 24 at Michigan
Jan. 27 vs. Iowa
Jan. 30 vs. Indiana
Feb. 2 at Northwestern
Feb. 5 at Penn State
Feb. 9 vs. Michigan State
Feb. 13 at Illinois
Feb. 16 at Indiana
Feb. 24 vs. Northwestern
Feb. 27 at Iowa
March 2/3 at Wisconsin
March 6 vs. Michigan
March 9 vs. Minnesota
