Boilermakers enjoy time in Chicago at Big Media Day

CHICAGO, IL. (WLFI). - Big Ten Media Day for both men's and women's basketball took place in Chicago at the Hyatt Regency O'Hare on Thursday.

The Purdue men’s basketball team was represented by head coach Matt Painter, senior guard/forward D.J. Byrd and junior guard Terone Johnson.

The trio answered questions all day about the youthful Boilermakers who head into the 2012-2013 season with lots of unanswered questions. The Big Ten Conference has five teams that will begin the season in the pre-season USA Today Coaches Poll who all feel they have a legitimate shot to win the conference championship.

“I know there are a lot of teams in our league that kind of think that way. Hopefully we can use that as motivation, as other teams, to battle those teams,” said Purdue head coach Matt Painter. “When you look at our schedule and look at our conference schedule. I felt this way when we won our league. I didn't know where the wins were coming from. You know, and now when you're not picked to win your league, you still don't know where the wins are coming from. I think when you can say that you're in a pretty good league,” said Painter.

The Boilermakers understand there season will lean heavily on the play of freshman and sophomores. The gold and black still believe they can be good this season.

“These guys can definitely make the jump, I think early on they didn’t really notice that about themselves but now they are starting to notice it and starting to work a lot harder,” said junior guard Terone Johnson.

It started on the first day of practice when it was clear to senior D.J. Byrd that he would have to lead by example and help the youngsters develop quickly so the team can improve at a faster pace.

“We need to have guys mature as quick as possible because we don’t have the experience we need, so in practice we try and motivate them and get them to play harder for a longer period of time,” said senior guard/forward D.J. Byrd.

The Boilermakers begin the season Oct. 30 in an exhibition game against Montevallo at 7 p.m. on Keady Court. The regular season opener is a home game against Bucknell on Nov. 9 at 7 p.m.

As for the Purdue women’s basketball team, Purdue head coach Sharon Versyp and sixth-year senior Drey Mingo and junior Courtney Moses were in Chicago to meet with national, local and regional media to discuss the upcoming season.

Purdue, the defending Big Ten Tournament champion, was picked to finish third by the Big Ten coaches, while the coaches tabbed Moses as a member of the Preseason All-Big Ten Team. Moses is the first Boilermaker to earn preseason conference accolades since Brittany Rayburn was honored in 2010.

“Things are going well, we have six returning starters. People think there is just three but the other three have started other games. I think we have great leadership and a mixture of some really young talent that has come in with a transfer that will make a big difference,” said Purdue women’s basketball head coach Sharon Versyp.

The Boilermakers open the season Nov. 4 in an exhibition game against Lindsey Wilson College at 2 p.m. in Mackey Arena. The regular season opener is a home contest against USC Upstate on Nov. 10 at 7 p.m.