Only one thing I'd like to see in tonight's Purdue game against North Florida: For the Boilermakers to play like a top 25 team.

Purdue's been OK this season against lesser-caliber teams but rarely seems to come out from the tip and dominate.

No excuses for not doing that tonight against North Florida, an Atlantic Sun team that lost to Missouri by 38 points and to Pittsburgh by 46.

In controlling the game early, it should give Patrick Bade and Sandi Marcius a chance for extensive second-half minutes, and that'll be nice, too. Both need to get more experience, but coach Matt Painter has been wary to play them when other team's play smaller lineups.

I don't think that's the only reason -- if they were practicing better, Painter wouldn't keep them off the floor in games -- but now is the chance for those guys to show improvement in a game environment.