Privateers Set to Face #1 Purdue in Final Non-conference Matchup

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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind.-The New Orleans (3-7) men's basketball program travel to West Lafayette, Indiana to take on #1 Purdue (11-0) for its final non-conference matchup at Mackey Arena 8 p.m. CT. This is the first time New Orleans will take on a number one ranked team in school history. The contest will be broadcast on ESPNU television and NASH 106.1 FM radio with Jude Young, the voice of the Privateers, calling the action.
 
Last time on the hardwood the Privateers topped the Dillard Blue Devils, 79-71 at home. The victory snapped a two-game streak of  home losses to Division I schools, beginning with the close one-point loss to Denver in the Big Easy Classic.

New Orleans looks to see top performances from Jordan Johnson, K'mani Doughty and Khaleb Wilson-Rouse who have each had 20-point plus games thus far. 

Johnson is lethal from beyond the arc for the Privateers as he is 27 of 59 so far for a .458 three-point percentage. Johnson continues to lead the Southland Conference in three-point percentage and moves up to a #26 ranking nationally. He is currently averaging 14.9 pts, 3.7 assists and 2.0 steals per game. 
 
Tyson Jackson has also been a major piece to the Privateers offensive and defensive attack recording his second career double-double against Dillard and leading the team in field-goal percentage (55%) and rebounds per game (4.7) throughout the season. Jackson is on a five-game double-figure scoring streak.

Beating its opponents in free throw percentage 70% to 68%, New Orleans looks to see its fourth consecutive game with 75% or higher shooting from the line. 
 
While New Orleans has never played a #1 ranked team in school history, they have played a ranked Purdue before. In 1993, at the Mercedes Benz Superdome under the legendary Tim Floyd, #17 New Orleans went toe-to-to with #11 Purdue, and loss in overtime 84-81. The former team for New Orleans featured three former NBA players in Ervin Johnson (Seattle SuperSonics, 1st round), Michael McDonald (Golden State Warriors, 2nd round), and Dedric Willoughby (Chicago Bulls, undrafted). 
 
The last time New Orleans played a top 5 AP ranked school was against #5 Michigan State December 28, 2013.
 
Tomorrow's matchup marks Head Coach Mark Slessinger's, an Indiana native, first matchup against Purdue as a head coach. 
 
ABOUT THE BOILERMAKERS (11-0)
Appearing at No. 1 in this week's AP Top 25, Purdue has been ranked in the top 5 in consecutive years for the first time since the 1986-87 and 1987-88 seasons. The Boilermakers have spent 16 of the past 26 AP polls ranked in the top 5. Only Gonzaga (22) has spent more time in the top 5 than Purdue since the start of last season. Purdue's 23 appearances in the top 10 during that span are second behind Kansas (26). Zach Edey ranks No. 1 in the KenPom POY ratings by a significant margin and has been the game MVP in all 11 Purdue contests so far this year.
 
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