Finally, Purdue men's basketball season is here. The Boilers tipoff the 2013-14 regular season at Mackey Arena Friday night against the Norse of Northern Kentucky. NKU is a relative newcomer to Division, beginning play at the top level just last season. They still have three full seasons before they are even eligible for the NCAA Tournament.

Projected Starters: Purdue Northern Kentucky Terone Johnson - Sr. Jalen Billups - So. Ronnie Johnson - So. Chad Jackson - Sr. Kendall Stephens -Fr. Tyler White - So. Errick Peck - Sr. Jake Giesler - So. Jay Simpson - So. Jordan Jackson - Jr. Series With Purdue: First Meeting Odds: No Line Blog Representation Norse Code Radio Location: Highland Heights, KY Best Postseason result: 1996 and 1997 NCAA DII runner-up 2012-13 Record: 11-16, 9-9 Atlantic Sun Coach: Dave Bezold (10th season, 172-95 record) RPI: N/A Time: 7pm TV: ESPN3.com Radio: Purdue Radio Network Streaming Audio: TuneIn.com

Teams new to Division I often struggle, but Northern Kentucky did pretty well in its initial Division I season in the Atlantic Sun. They had a common opponent with Ohio State, who crushed NKU 70-43. The progam is building toward the 2016-17 season when they will finally be eligible for the NCAA tournament after a four-year transitional period.

Billups is the lone returning scorer that averaged in double figures with 10.7 points per game, but he lasted only seven games. Jordan Jackson and Jake Giesler are transfers that are now eligible and are expected to content for starting spots on a team that is very young. Chad Jackson is the lone senior and Jordan Jackson is the lone eligible junior on a team mostly made up of freshmen and sophomores.

This is a game for Jay Simpson to assert himself, as NKU lacks a player over 6'7". That means both he and Travis Carroll should dominate the glass. Expect Errick Peck to have a big day on the glass as well. As a team NKU shot only 33% from three-point range and averaged just 58/5 points per game last season.

I am not going to lie: Purdue should have very little trouble regardless of who plays in this one. It is a game to further work on lineups and rotations. An added bonus of having just 11 scholarship players is that fewer guys are battling for major minutes and feel they should be playing more. I expect coach Painter to tinker with lineups among the 11 guys in hopes of narrowing it down to an eight or nine man rotation. Remember, only 10 of the 11 will be available as A.J. Hammons has the final game of his suspension.

What I want to see: