Connecticut's been kind to Purdue lately.
Last time the Boilermakers played at the Mohegan Sun, they beat Old Dominion and Florida and claimed the Hall of Fame Tip-Off title.
Last time they played in Hartford, they routed Villanova in Round 2 of the NCAA Tournament In a de-facto 'Nova home game and advanced to the second weekend.
Saturday and Sunday, Purdue would like nothing more than to find similar results, as the sixth-ranked Boilermakers set foot onto their first proving ground of the season, facing No. 18 North Carolina on Saturday, then either No. 5 Villanova (again) or No. 17 Tennessee (again) on Sunday.
Here are some Purdue storylines ...
DEFENSIVE IMPROVEMENT
Purdue's been a work in progress defensively, and has yet to be tested by anything remotely resembling these teams' athleticism and talent. UNC point guard Caleb Love is one of the best guards the Boilermakers will see all season, one who might be a handful for a team that's needed to improve against the dribble. R.J. Davis, too.
"We need to keep getting better," assistant coach Paul Lusk said. "They'll really test us from that standpoint."
