13. Purdue (2-0)
History was made for the Boilermakers last season, as Zach Edey and his Purdue squad marched all the way to the national championship game. Purdue enters this season as one of the favorites in an open Big Ten, though with the unenviably task of replacing Edey and remaining a powerhouse. Time will tell how Matt Painter and his crew fare with that venture, though the first week of the season showed plenty of promise for faces both old and new.
They passed the first test on opening night, winning 90-73 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. The returning junior guards both starred, with 21 points from Fletcher Loyer and a 12-point, 15-assist effort from Braden Smith. They played well again on Friday, as Purdue notched a 72-50 win over Northern Kentucky. Loyer led the way with 16 points while Trey Kaufman-Renn added 14 points in the victory.
This team isn’t depending on their big man to carry the torch, but there’s significant talent still in West Lafayette. As the season goes on we’ll see how that frontcourt develops, though there’s raw talent and plenty of potential waiting in the wings. Purdue will lean heavily on Smith and Loyer and it’s worked through one week, though week two is quite a bit tougher. After a date with Yale, Purdue welcomes Alabama for a highly anticipated matchup this coming Friday.