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Big Ten favorite Purdue opens season vs. Detroit

Nov 14, 2008 - 9:35 AM Detroit at (10) Purdue 9:00 p.m. EST

WEST LAFAYETTE, Indiana (Ticker) -- After coach Matt Painter's Purdue squad enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2007-08, do not expect the Boilermakers to sneak up on anyone this season.

The 10th-ranked Boilermakers return the entire starting five and open the 2008-09 season against Detroit on Friday.

With its highest preseason ranking in 11 years, Purdue is expected to finish near the top of the Big Ten with a deep run in the NCAA Tournament a distinct possibility. The Boilermakers posted a 25-9 record last season, their highest win total in a decade, including a 16-1 mark at Mackey Arena.

Preseason Big Ten Player of the Year Robbie Hummel is joined by E'Twaun Moore and Keaton Grant as a trio of sharpshooters that each shot over 43 percent from beyond the arc.

The Boilermakers return seven players that averaged double-digit minutes last season from a team that fell to Xavier, 85-78, in the second round of the tournament.

The matchup will mark the regular season debut of first-year Detroit head coach Ray McCallum, who hopes to lead the Titans to a bounce-back season after they struggled to a 7-23 overall mark and 3-15 record in the Horizon League.

Senior forward Chris Hayes is the team's leading returning scorer at 10.6 points a game.