The field for the fifth annual Chicago Invitational Challenge has been set, with Purdue, Richmond, Southern Illinois and Wright State playing host to preliminary-round games before the tournament moves to the Sears Centre Arena in Hoffman Estates from Nov. 26-27.
The Boilermakers will host Austin Peay and Oakland at Mackey Arena prior to moving on to Chicago. Charleston Southern and Southern will also participate in the tournament.
Purdue is coming off of a banner season in which it claimed a share of its first Big Ten title in 14 years and made its second-straight NCAA Sweet 16 appearance. The Boilers also return five players who started at least 20 percent of the team’s games in 2009-10. Rising senior All-Americans Robbie Hummel and E’Twaun Moore are back in the fold, as is two-time All-Big Ten selection and Big Ten All-Defensive Team member JaJuan Johnson. Rising juniors Lewis Jackson and Ryne Smith, and rising sophomores Patrick Bade, Kelsey Barlow, D.J. Byrd and John Hart have also seen significant action in the Old Gold & Black.
Tickets will go on sale through the Purdue Athletic Ticket Office beginning on Aug. 2. Located on the ground floor of the Intercollegiate Athletic Facility, the Purdue Athletic Ticket Office is open for business from 9 a.m.-5 p.m. ET, Monday-Friday. Tickets will also be available online at purduesports.com, or by calling (800) 49-SPORT.