For Boiler fans (i.e. MnBoiler) who post here

[SelectionSunday]

This snippet from Andy Katz, in case you hadn't heard:

"The Chicago Invitational (Nov. 26-27 at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill.) has a chance to pit Purdue and Richmond against each other in what could be a quality RPI game for the Boilermakers. The rest of the field, announced Wednesday, includes Southern Illinois, Wright State, Austin Peay, Oakland, Southern and Charleston Southern."

I would guess the yet-to-be-announced Nov. 26 semifinal pairings will be Purdue-Southern Illinois & Richmond-Wright State.

 

[Friend Of Tubby]

This snippet from Andy Katz, in case you hadn't heard:

"The Chicago Invitational (Nov. 26-27 at the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates, Ill.) has a chance to pit Purdue and Richmond against each other in what could be a quality RPI game for the Boilermakers. The rest of the field, announced Wednesday, includes Southern Illinois, Wright State, Austin Peay, Oakland, Southern and Charleston Southern."

I would guess the yet-to-be-announced Nov. 26 semifinal pairings will be Purdue-Southern Illinois & Richmond-Wright State.

Thanks - that's just 5 miles west of me (in Rolling Meadows).

 

[Gopher Warrior]

I would guess the yet-to-be-announced Nov. 26 semifinal pairings will be Purdue-Southern Illinois & Richmond-Wright State.

Those are definitely the four teams that are 'together' (i.e., each will play two of the three others). This has been a weird 'tournament' in the past.. didn't check in to how they ran it last year, but two years ago... they had Marquette, Auburn, Dayton and Northern Iowa together.. both day 1 and day 2 games were set (i.e., who won and lost on day 1 had no impact on day 2's schedule)... as it so happened, MU and Dayton both won their day 1 games and played eachother day 2. Crappy game. I'm guessing there's video of it out in YouTube land.. 'Chris Wright dunk' or 'Chris Wright Maurice Acker' probably would bring it up.

My favorite thing to do in FOT's neighborhood?... races at Arlington.

 

[MinnesotaBoiler99]

That tournament field does nothing for me. I was hoping for a top drawer NC schedule next season and it's turning out to be rather boring. Purdue fans were hoping for a rematch with Duke in the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and ended up getting......Virginia Tech? The Wooden Tradition is no more with past opponents being Butler, Davidson, and Xavier so the old Boilermaker Blockbuster at Conseco has been reborn with a MBB/WBB doubleheader and they lined up....Indiana State? The trip to West Virginia has lost it's luster with Huggy Bear's defections to the NBA. The basketball operations guy on Painter's staff - who is in charge of scheduling - is a good friend of mine and he has said nobody wants to play Purdue next season.

On a related note, Robbie Hummel suffered at setback recently with his ACL injury. At first, it appeared serious but has since been shrugged off. They're pretty tight lipped over there nowadays so who knows what to believe.

 

[SelectionSunday]

I agree that the Boilers' in-season tournament isn't the greatest, but I still think you guys have a nice start on a solid nonconference schedule:

1. @ West Virginia (they're coached by Huggy Bear, they'll be good)

2. @ Virginia Tech (true, they're not Duke, but Hokies should be a serious road test for the Boilers)

3. Likely vs. Richmond in the Chicago Invitational finals won't be a gimme' by any means.

Looks like this year the Boilers might fall short where Tubby always falls short, scheduling major-conference opponents at home. Minnesota is the only Big Ten program in the last 4 years (including 2010-11) not to schedule a BCS opponent at home, excluding the ACC Challenge. Have you heard any rumors on who the Boilers' best home opponent(s) is/are going to be?

I see that Izzo has lined up another brutal schedule, including 2 BCSers at Breslin (South Carolina and Texas), as well as a neutral-siter with Syracuse and road games at Duke and (I think) Gonzaga, not to mention the Maui Invitational.

 

[Friend Of Tubby]

Those are definitely the four teams that are 'together' (i.e., each will play two of the three others). This has been a weird 'tournament' in the past.. didn't check in to how they ran it last year, but two years ago... they had Marquette, Auburn, Dayton and Northern Iowa together.. both day 1 and day 2 games were set (i.e., who won and lost on day 1 had no impact on day 2's schedule)... as it so happened, MU and Dayton both won their day 1 games and played eachother day 2. Crappy game. I'm guessing there's video of it out in YouTube land.. 'Chris Wright dunk' or 'Chris Wright Maurice Acker' probably would bring it up.

My favorite thing to do in FOT's neighborhood?... races at Arlington.

Live within a mile of AP - just down Rohlwing south of Euclid. I park at and ride commuter train from AP every day. In the AM, I go over early to watch a few of the horses work out.

 

[OSUfan]

99, what do you mean when you say that the Wooden Tradition is "no more"? Are they no longer having any Wooden games whatsoever?

 

[Slim Tubby]

I sure hope Hummel has no set-backs...he's one of my favorite players to watch, except against the Gophers of course. Get better, Robbie!

 

[mnboiler]

I saw that. Its a pretty "meh" tourny with Richmond looking like the only decent challenge and overall its a pretty "meh" OOC.

@ WVU will be a decent game, @VT will be ok, home vs Alabama shouldn't be close. Part of me is disapointed that the Boilermakers don't have a name OOC game. The other part of me thinks its ok because we know how this group will play. No need to put them though a tough OOC grind before the B10.

OSUfan-the Wooden Tradition is atleast on a one year break becuase the company that puts it on couldn't find anyone. In other John Wooden news he is NOT do well at all right now, some news outlits think it could be any minute he passes away. When he does the world will be worst place.

As for Hummel-I have heard just that he has hit a setback. Nothing more than that. Everyone is tight lipped about it. I wish I had more to tell but thats it.

 

[MinnesotaBoiler99]

99, what do you mean when you say that the Wooden Tradition is "no more"? Are they no longer having any Wooden games whatsoever?

Wow, talk about weird. I mention that the Wooden Tradition is "no more" on the same day he is hospitalized and by all accounts appears to be on his death bed. That is freaky!

Mnboiler is correct. The Wooden Tradition looks to be on a hiatus, not permanently ki-boshed. They just couldn't find anyone to play in it - it was usually 2 games back to back on a Saturday in December. They had to beg Ball State to play in it last year. UCLA also hosts a "Wooden" event each year in Anaheim I believe.

Selection Sunday - I agreed that VT will be a quality opponent, especially on the road, but as a pre-season top 5 team we were hoping for a sexier match-up. As for the other NC games, Mnboiler pretty much summed it up. The "cupcake" portion hasn't been finalized and I remember seeing some info on one of the Purdue boards, but for the life of me I can't recall anything or find the post. I know they're playing at Valpo as a gesture for Hummel and I'm sure we'll see one of the IUPU schools.

 

[mnboiler]

I know they're playing at Valpo as a gesture for Hummel and I'm sure we'll see one of the IUPU schools.

I want to say IPFW(Indiana University Purdue University-Fort Wayne) is that team that we are playing of those schools but don't quote me on that. Indiana State might also be on the cupcake list as well.

I think of Purdue fan's had there choice they would want to start a Home and Home with either Butler and Norte Dame-or atleast one of them.