4/25/2023 basketball Edit

Big Ten Releases 2023-24 Men's Basketball Opponents

Mar 5, 2023; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; The Purdue Boilermakers pose with the Big Ten Conference trophy after defeating the Illinois Fighting Illini at Mackey Arena. Boilermakers won 76-71. (© Marc Lebryk-USA TODAY Sports)

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Purdue has not won consecutive Big Ten championships in men's basketball since the mid-90s, but that could change during the 2023-24 season. If Zach Edey returns, most of the lineup that won the conference by three games in 2022-23 will be back, so the Boilermakers will be one of the favorites. Even if he does not return, a different looking Purdue should be very good. The schedule is always a factor, however, as Purdue plays seven teams twice and the additional six teams just once, so an extra game against a league bottom feeder like Minnesota last year can be a nice benefit.

Purdue has a few breaks here. Michigan State is expected to be among the league contenders next year, is playing them only once, and in Mackey Arena no less, is very nice. Nebraska, Ohio State, and Maryland are the lone single plays on the road only, and both Nedbraska and Ohio State were at the bottom of the league in 2023. Also, Mason Gillis, Ethan Morton, and Edey (should he return) will get a shot at completing what I call the Delaney Dozen: that is, winning in all 14 Big Ten arenas over the course of their careers. By my count (and yes, I track this) 18 players have completed this since the league expanded to 14 teams, and 11 have been Purdue players. Gillis, Morton, and Edey are only missing the Xfinity Center at Maryland and Jersey Mike's Arena at Rutgers.

Purdue does have a rough haul in some of its dual plays. It is locked into a home-and-home with Indiana already, and the Boilers are only 1-3 agaisnt Mike Woodson. Getting Illinois and a surprisingly strong Northwestern twice is not great, either. Purdue has struggled mightily with Rutgers in recent seasons, and given it's... recent history, let's say, with the state of New Jersey I am not looking forward to playing the Scarlet Knights twice.

Of course, winning a Big Ten regular season title is never easy, but Matt Painter has done it four times and has come within a game three other times, so it would not be a shock to see Purdue at least come close to a record 26th Big Ten championship.