If one wondered why No. 2 Purdue was ranked atop the first Associated Press Top 25, the Boilermakers delivered an emphatic reminder on Thursday night.

Trey Kaufman-Renn made his season debut with 19 points and 15 rebounds. Braden Smith looked like a national Player of the Year in a 21-point second half. And Purdue left No. 8 Alabama a loser for the third straight season with an 87-80 road win that could have major seeding implications in March.

Now what can the Boilermakers do for an encore Sunday night when a sneaky good Akron team ventures into West Lafayette, Ind. for another nonconference contest?

One way for Purdue to back up its excellent showing against the Crimson Tide is for Kaufman-Renn to continue pounding the boards. He hauled down eight offensive rebounds, helping the team

See Full Page