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ers with one season's worth of college eligibility remaining. And maybe most important of all, there's big man Jay Simpson, who comes out of redshirt after playing in 10 games last season, limited by the aftermath of the broken foot he suffered months earlier. So there's the interesting dynamic surrounding Painter's team. On one hand, experience should greatly benefit the group's returning core of senior leading scorer Terone Johnson and budding sophomore standouts Ronnie Johnson at point guard and A.J. Hammons at center, along with Davis, who was too energetic, too productive for Painter 2013-14 PURDUE BASKETBALL SCHEDULE DateOpponent Oct. 30 INDIANAPOLIS (ex.) (BTND) Nov. 4 WAYNE STATE (ex.) (BTND) Nov. 8 NORTHERN KENTUCKY (ESPN3) Nov. 13 CENTRAL CONNECTICUT (BTND) Nov. 17 RIDER (BTN) Nov. 20 EASTERN ILLINOIS (BTND) Time 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. 7 p.m. Old Spice Classic Nov. 24 SIENA* (BTN) Nov. 28 vs. Oklahoma State^ (ESPN2) Nov. 29 vs. Butler/Wash State^ (ESPNU) Dec. 1 vs. TBA^ (ESPNU/2/3) Noon Noon TBA TBA BIg Ten/ACC Challenge Dec. 4 BOSTON COLLEGE (ESPN2) 9 p.m. Dec. 7 EASTERN MICHIGAN (ESPN3) 2 p.m. Crossroads Classic Dec. 14 vs. Butler& (BTN) 6 p.m. Dec. 17 MARYLAND-EAST SHORE (ESPN3) Dec. 22 at West Virginia (ESPNU) Dec. 31 OHIO STATE (ESPN2) Jan. 5 at Minnesota (BTN) Jan. 12 NEBRASKA (BTN) Jan. 15 at Illinois (BTN) Jan. 18 PENN STATE (ESPNU) Jan. 21 at Northwestern (BTN) Jan. 25 WISCONSIN (BTN) Jan. 30 at Michigan (ESPN2) Feb. 2 at Penn State (BTN) Feb. 5 MINNESOTA (BTN) Feb. 8 at Ohio State (BTN) Feb. 15 INDIANA (ESPN2) Feb. 20 MICHIGAN STATE (ESPN2) Feb. 23 at Nebraska (TBA) Feb. 26 MICHIGAN (BTN) March 1 at Iowa (TBA) March 5 at Wisconsin (BTN) March 8 NORTHWESTERN (TBA) March 13-16 Big Ten Tournament (Indianapolis) 7 p.m. 1 p.m. 1 p.m. TBA TBA 9 p.m. 7 p.m. 9 p.m. 5 p.m. 9 p.m. 11:30 a.m. 8:30 p.m. 6 p.m. 4 p.m. 7 p.m. TBA 7 p.m. TBA 9 p.m. TBA * Old Spice Classic West Lafayette — ^ Old Spice Classic — Orlando, Fla. & Crossroads Classic — Indianapolis 6 IllustrateD volume 24, issue 2 Jamie Owens Ronnie Johnson has made big strides in the offseason. How much he has improved will go a long way to determining the fate of the 2013-14 team. to keep off the floor as a freshman last winter. On the other hand, Purdue's in many ways brand new. The thought — expectation, really — around Purdue's program is now to field a much different team from a year ago. Not only because roughly half the roster is new, but because of the proverbial eye-ball test. As Purdue made "good trades," in Painter's words, through the spring and right up until the start of practice, the Boilermakers became bigger, faster, longer, more athletic and noticeably more skilled to anyone who's seen practice. Underdeveloped bodies have been replaced by more physically advanced ones. Passive personalities have given way to those with more urgency. Veterans seem motivated. "I think this team has more to prove more than last year," said Ronnie Johnson, one of just six returning scholarship players, counting Simpson. "I think everybody has a chip on their shoulder this year." Take Terone Johnson, for example. Losing seems to have stung the se- f