Fairfield @ Purdue preview

Last Meeting ( Nov 18, 2017 ) Fairfield 64, Purdue 106

No. 22 Purdue enters the 2018-19 opener Tuesday at home against Fairfield with plenty of question marks after losing four starters from a team that won 30 games and reached the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament last season. The Boilermakers overcame a first-half challenge from Marian (Ind.) University in their exhibition game Wednesday before securing a 75-56 victory.

One of the questions that needs answers is which players will emerge as scorers to help the lone returning starter, senior standout Carsen Edwards. Ryan Cline has waited his turn for playing time and showed in the exhibition that he might be that guy, making 7 of 10 shots from 3-point range and scoring a game-high 23 points. That performance came on the heels of hitting seven 3-pointers and scoring 27 points in a closed scrimmage against West Virginia. "It was pretty comfortable," the 6-foot-6 senior guard told reporters after the the exhibition against Marian."

TV: 7 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network Plus on BTN2Go

ABOUT FAIRFIELD (2017-18: 17-16): The Stags, who have nine foreign-born players among the 13 men on their roster, are projected to finish seventh in the Metro Athletic Athletic Conference this season after reaching the MAAC championship game in March. They were routed 106-64 last year by Purdue in a November game where the Boilermakers set a school record by making 19 3-pointers. The leading returning scorers for Fairfield are guard Jesus Cruz (9.1 points per game) and 6-foot-8 forward Jonathan Kasibabu (9.0), who also averaged a team-best 5.6 rebounds last season.

ABOUT PURDUE (2017-18: 30-7): Edwards is the star and unquestioned leader for the Boilermakers as a unanimous preseason All-American after averaging 18.5 points and shooting 40.6 percent from 3-point range last season. The other returnee from last year's team with significant playing time is 7-foot-3 Matt Haarms, who scored 12 points on 5-of-6 shooting from the field and had five rebounds in the exhibition win over Marian. The redshirt sophomore has bulked up to 250 pounds this year in an attempt to provide a stronger presence in the paint after averaging 4.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.1 blocks last season.

TIP-INS

1. Junior graduate transfer Evan Boudreaux has two years of eligibility remaining at Purdue after averaging 17.5 points and 9.5 rebounds in his final season at Dartmouth, where he graduated in three years and was the Ivy League Rookie of the Year as a freshman.

2. Purdue is 99-9 at Mackey Arena in 13 years under coach Matt Painter in November and December games, including 16 straight victories.

3. Fairfield won seven straight games and 10 of 12 before losing to Iona in the MAAC championship game last March.

PREDICTION: Purdue 86, Fairfield 54