Return all five starters from a 15-3 Big Ten season, and expectations will mount. Sport all-conference players and defenders among that lineup, and anticipation will go through the roof.
But when it takes the floor of the Bryce Jordan Center to face Penn State (12-3, 1-1 Big Ten) on Tuesday, No. 14 Purdue, the pre-season Big Ten favorite, will be desperately trying to avoid an 0-2 conference start.
The Boilermakers may be without their reigning first-team all-Big Ten forward Robbie Hummel --- the conference's preseason player of the year --- and last year's Big Ten defensive player of the year Chris Kramer.
Hummel has been bothered by back ailments for more than a month while Kramer has a sprained foot.
The two have had time to rest as Purdue (11-3, 0-1) will be coming off a one-week layoff after its 71-67 overtime loss to Illinois at home.
But despite the "bye week," as coach Matt Painter called it, the Boilermakers remain unsure of the two's statuses.
"I really don't know what to expect out of them since they haven't practiced since the Illinois game," Painter told reporters during his weekly teleconference. "They both say they're getting better, but I don't know if they're getting to a point where they're gonna play against Penn State."
Purdue will practice Monday night in Happy Valley before their showdown the next day.
And while it remains unclear if Hummel or Kramer will suit up Tuesday, it's another Boilermaker that has Penn State coach Ed DeChellis concerned heading into the contest.
Sophomore JaJuan Johnson has raised his scoring average (12.6) by more than seven points per game since a season ago.
DeChellis believes the 6-foot-10 forward has displayed much more confidence this season while being an added force underneath the basket.
"Last year he was more just around the basket. I think this year he's able to step away from the basket and shoot that 12, 15-foot jump shot with pretty good consistency," DeChellis said. "I just think his whole demeanor is a little bit different."
Johnson may force the undersized Nittany Lions to use their quickness outside, something that will become considerably easier should the Boilermakers' scrappy, 6-foot-3 ball-stopper not play.
"I really believe Kramer is such a really good basketball player," DeChellis said. "And you look at his numbers and say, 'Well, he doesn't take a lot of shots, he doesn't affect the game offensively,' but he certainly affects the game defensively and I think he gets other guys shots, I think he makes big steals, I think he makes big plays and I think the guys feed off of his emotion and energy as well.
"When you don't have everybody at full strength, I don't care what team it is, it affects the teams."
