HAMMOND, Ind. – The Purdue Northwest men's basketball team returns to the hardwood this weekend in a pair of non-conference matchups in Kansas City. PNW will play William Jewell at 5 p.m. CT Friday afternoon, before battling Rockhurst Saturday at 3 p.m. CT. Both games will be played at RU's Mason-Halpin Field House.
 
HOW TO WATCH
Both games this weekend will be streamed live on the GLVC Sports Network HERE. Fans can also follow live stats during both games, courtesy of McKendree Sports Information.
 
HEAD COACH BOOMER ROBERTS:
 
… on entering fourth season on the PNW sideline:
 
"It's been a fun adventure, and we've grown a lot as a program. We've had our fair share of challenges, but we knew that was going to be the case when we got here four years ago. Each year, our program has continued to progress on the court and in the classroom. As we've elevated our recruiting, the competitive level has risen with it, and we feel like we're about to take another step forward this season."
 
… on the level of experienced players and what impact that brings to this year's team:
 
"Having a veteran team is something every coach hopes for, and this is the first time we've had multiple vets return who have played significant minutes in the GLIAC. However, because of the extra Covid year, all of our opponents also return really good players, so I anticipate this will be the strongest year in the GLIAC from top to bottom.
 
So many games in the GLIAC come down to the last five minutes, and that is where experience shines brightest. With so many guys who have played in those moments, our hope is that we come out on the winning end of those games."
 
… on the strengths of this year's team:
 
"When we're healthy, we should have really good guard play. Kell and Tripps are returning starters, and Logan, Z, and Ant were rotation guys last season as freshmen. Then you add in Ralph, Jonte, and Kai, three talented transfers, and we've got the most backcourt depth we've ever had.
 
I also really like our group of mediums. AB, Z, Logan, Sangolay, and Stone are versatile 6-foot-7 guys who can guard multiple positions, play on the perimeter or in the post, and be secondary playmakers or finishers. That versatility should give us mismatches on the floor, if we utilize them well."
 
… on one area of focus for this season:
 
"The GLIAC is a very physical league, and our physicality will be tested. We were a top-2 rebounding team last year, but we'll have a different look this season. We'll have more spacing, but we won't be as physical and big, so we'll need to be nasty defensively and, on the glass, which is always going to be a deciding factor in this conference."

… on what he's looking forward to the most for this season:
 
"I'm really looking forward to the guys getting a legit college basketball experience again. Complete with fans, regular travel, non-conference games, and things that come with that. We put an incredible emphasis on being the tightest family, and we have guys who love each other, so the most fun moments are in the locker room, road trips, and lacing our shoes up and competing together. These memories and relationships will outlive any outcome in games, so we are going to cherish having our families and fans join the adventure with us again.
 
Obviously, we have big goals that we keep in house. But we're going to compete at a high level with love, joy, and toughness every night, and then let the chips fall where they may."
 
 
SERIES HISTORY
PNW has played both William Jewell and Rockhurst in three of the past four seasons on opening weekend.
 
Purdue Northwest vs. William Jewell; WJC leads 3-0
11/8/19, 96-77 WJC (neutral)
11/10/18, 99-83 WJC (neutral)
11/11/17, 113-72 WJC (home)
 
Purdue Northwest vs. Rockhurst; RU leads 2-1
11/9/19, 71-67 PNW (neutral)
11/9/18, 103-73 RU (neutral)
11/10/17, 88-78 RU (home)
 
PNW IN SEASON OPENERS
PNW carries a 1-4 record in season openers and will look to snap a streak of four consecutive defeats in the opening contest. The Pride last claimed a season-opening win in 2016-17 when they defeated Cornerstone 58-43 at the Westville Campus.

FOLLOW THE PRIDE
For all the latest information on Purdue Northwest men's basketball, please visit PNWathletics.com. For up-to-the-minute updates, follow the Pride (@pnwathletics and @PNWBasketball) on Twitter. You can also find the Pride on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube.