More: Purdue 2019-20 roster | Prospectus

Purdue's 2019-20 Big Ten schedule comes with one apparent break for the Boilermakers' title defense in this: It will face Michigan State — perhaps the preseason No. 1 nationally — just once, and that game will be in Mackey Arena.

Otherwise, per the Big Ten's announcement Wednesday afternoon, Purdue will host single-play games vs. Minnesota and Penn State, and go on the road for one-offs vs. Maryland, Nebraska and Ohio State. The Buckeyes are considered a potential preseason top-25 team, while Cornhuskers are debuting new coach Fred Hoiberg and the Terrapins smarting from the NBA losses of Bruno Fernando and Anthony Cowan, though a strong nucleus of sophomores-to-be returns.

Purdue will twice face some of the league's likeliest lower-division finishers in Illinois, Rutgers, Indiana and Northwestern, all of which struggled this past season for one reason or another and some of which lose really important pieces.

The Boilermakers also face Iowa and Michigan — potential top-25 teams themselves — and Wisconsin twice.

Purdue was the Big Ten's regular season co-champ this season and reached the Elite Eight of the NCAA Tournament.

Now, though, it loses All-American Carsen Edwards to the NBA and key seniors Ryan Cline and Grady Eifert to graduation.

Dates, game times, etc., have not yet been set for the Big Ten season.

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