Purdue men and women gear up for regular season openers

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WLFI) - The Purdue men's and women's basketball teams will open up the 2012-2013 season this weekend at Mackey Arena. Both Boilermaker teams are tired of practice and ready for the season to begin.

The Purdue men’s basketball team will open its 115th season on Friday when it hosts Bucknell in the first game of the West Lafayette Regional of the 2K Sports Classic benefitting Wounded Warrior Project; it will mark the first-ever meeting between the Boilermakers and Bison.

The Boilermakers are 94-20 (.825) all-time in season openers, having won all seven under the direction of head coach Matt Painter.

A year ago Bucknell finished 25-10 overall, 12-2 in the Patriot League, and won the conference regular-season title. Bucknell was relegated to the NIT after falling to Lehigh in the Patriot League championship game, but the Bison bounced back with a solid 65-54 win over top-seeded Arizona in the first round of the NIT.

The Bison return four starters and 11 lettermen from last year’s squad. Coming into this year, Bucknell was picked to finish second in the Patriot League behind Lehigh in a preseason poll of the league’s head coaches and sports information directors. Senior center Mike Muscala and junior guard Cameron Ayers were both Preseason All-Patriot League selections.

The Purdue women's basketball team has won a school record 10 consecutive season openers and has won 21 consecutive season openers played in Mackey Arena.

The Boilermakers will take on a USC Upstate team who will be looking to rebound from a 9-21 record last year, after posting consecutive winning seasons in 2009-10 and 2010-11. The team returns four starters: Tee'Ara Copney, Lauren McRoberts, Hannah Ohl and Tyra Smith, while welcoming six newcomers to the roster.

Copney, a senior guard, was the Spartans' leading scorer last year, averaging 15.7 points along with 4.8 rpg, 2.5 apg and a team-high 2.4 spg. The Spartans also return senior assist leader Tyra Smith who averaged 4.1 helpers per game.

The Boilermakers have a week off before traveling to Edwardsville, Ill., to take on SIUE on Saturday, Nov. 17 at 8 p.m. ET. Purdue returns home for a contest against Bowling Green on Nov. 19 at 7:30 p.m. ET in Mackey Arena.

Purdue is ranked No. 21 by the Associated Press and No. 18 in the ESPN/USA Today Division I Coaches' Poll.