An old friend or an All-American among possible challenges for Purdue basketball in The Bahamas

INDIANAPOLIS — The next step in Purdue men’s basketball’s championship quest involves trying to keep another championship streak alive.

The Boilermakers have won 10 straight games over the span of four Thanksgiving-adjacent tournaments. This week’s stint in the Baha Mar Championships in The Bahamas features games against Memphis on Thursday and either No. 15 Texas Tech or Wake Forest on Friday.

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Each of the other three participants can potentially push Purdue in important and useful ways. Here’s a look at the rest of the field:

How Memphis can challenge Purdue basketball

Results: 1-2 — defeated San Francisco 76-70; lost at Ole Miss 83-77; lost to UNLV 92-78

Last season: 29-6; lost to Colorado State 78-70 in first round of NCAA tournament

Players to know: The Tigers are regrouping to start the season after last season’s All-AAC Player of the Year P.J. Haggerty transferred to Kansas State and Newcomer of the Year Dain Dainja left for the NBA.

Sincere Parker (6-3, Sr., G) leads the balanced scoring with 11.3 points per game. Dug McDaniel (5-11, Sr., PG) averages 10.7 points and 4.3 assists and is the top candidate to make his way to the free throw line.

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Memphis continues to search for answers in the frontcourt, though. Julius Thedford (6-4, Soph., G) averages 7.7 points and 5.7 rebounds, Hasan Abdul Hakim (6-8, Sr., G) — who coach Penny Hardaway said is the team’s rebounder — has not yet played due to a quad injury. According to the Commercial-Appeal, it is not known if he will play Thursday.

How Memphis can challenge Purdue: The Tigers could bring a similar athletic element to what Alabama did last week, though without the prolific perimeter shooting. They have created a lot of steals early, though at 81.7 points allowed per game there are indications that aggressiveness is costing them elsewhere.

Expect a lot of guards and wings attacking downhill, which should come as a welcome challenge for a Boilermaker team still seeking improvement in…

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Publish date : 2025-11-19 09:51:00

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