Purdue had its first major run-in with the NCAA's new emphasis on defensive fouls Sunday night, resulting in 54 fouls and 62 free-throws between the Boilers and Rider. The Boilers also blew a comfortable lead just before halftime in that game and never could really pull away again, resulting in yet another close win over a team that - on paper at least -Purdue should have blown out.

Tonight it will be interesting to watch and see if Purdue adjusts and responds to the troubles they faced Sunday night. Will defenders do a better job at moving their feet instead of using their bodies to defend? Will the post players stay out of foul trouble? Losing A.J. Hammons for a half against Rider is one thing; losing him for a half against Ohio State will be another. The point in scheduling these winnable games early in the season is to prepare for conference play.

Will Purdue finally start hitting free throws? Shots from the charity stripe were important before. With the new rules resulting in games with 62 free throw attempts, they've taken on an even bigger importance. Unfortunately, Purdue has continued to struggle from the line.

Finally, Hammons didn't even attempt a field goal in the last game. Purdue still won, but don't expect to see another game this season where that happens. For one thing, Hammons is most engaged defensively when he succeeds offensively, so it's important to get him going. Also, Purdue can't afford to have Hammons not attempt a field goal, because that usually means the Boilers are relying too heavily on outside shots.

These are just a few of the things I'll be watching for tonight.

As for Eastern Illinois, its the school where Matt Painter got a foot in the door toward college coaching as an assistant coach and went on to sign a guy named Jack Owens (who is now on his staff at Purdue). Also, current Eastern Illinois assistant J.R. Reynolds was a graduate assistant for the Purdue program from 2009-2012. The connections between the schools are deep

The Panthers are led by guard Reggie Smith, who has put up an average of 21 points through three games this season. This isn't the first high-scoring guard Purdue has faced this season, and they have done a good job so far in shutting these types of players down. Defensively, the Panthers will likely pressure Purdue almost the whole length of the court. They also will throw some traps, some zone and some man-to-man at Purdue in an effort to slow down the Boilers. Don't be surprised if A.J. Hammons yet again is doubled whenever he sees the ball.