Photos: YouTube Screenshots
STAMFORD, Conn. – Dec. 12, 2023 – Reigning National Player of the Year Zach Edey and AP-ranked No. 3 Purdue (9-1) face No. 1 Arizona (8-0) in a massive early-season showdown between top teams this Saturday, Dec. 16, at 4:30 p.m. ET live exclusively on Peacock.
Part of the 2023 Indy Classic powered by Sports Tech HQ, Saturday’s Purdue-Arizona showdown takes place at Indianapolis’ Gainbridge Fieldhouse. The 2023 Indy Classic also features a matchup of conference-leading teams as Ball State (8-2) faces Indiana State (9-1) earlier in the day at 1:45 p.m. ET live exclusively on Peacock.
Calling both Arizona-Purdue and Ball State-Indiana State from Gainbridge Fieldhouse are NBC Sports’ Noah Eagle (play-by-play), Robbie Hummel (analyst), a three-time First-Team All-Big Ten honoree at Purdue from 2007-12, and Caroline Pineda (sideline reporter).
The B1G College Countdown pregame show, featuring host Ahmed Fareed and analysts Jordan Cornette and Josh Pastner¸ begins following Ball State-Indiana State live on Peacock.
Peacock’s exclusive slate of Big Ten men’s basketball games features 30+ games streaming live this season.
4:30 p.m. p.m. ET: No. 1 Arizona vs. No. 3 Purdue
Purdue, the 2022-23 Big Ten champions, defeated Alabama, 92-86, on Saturday behind Edey’s 35 points and guard Braden Smith’s 27 points and eight assists. Edey – last season’s consensus National Player of the Year – leads the Big Ten averaging 24.8 points per game and 10.8 rebounds per game, and ranks second in the conference with 2.6 blocks per game. The 7’4” center, who has scored 35 points in two of his past three games, is looking to become the first back-to-back Wooden Award winner since Virginia’s Ralph Sampson in 1982 and 1983.
Arizona, one of seven remaining undefeated teams in Division I this season, retained the nation’s No. 1 ranking this week after topping No. 23 Wisconsin, 98-73, on Saturday. Guard Caleb Love, a senior transfer from UNC, tied a season-high with 20 points in the win and leads the Wildcats averaging 14.1 points per game this season. Arizona has defeated three Top 25 teams this season, with wins over Duke, Michigan State, and Wisconsin.
Last season, Purdue earned a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, while Arizona – winners of the 2022-23 Pac-12 Tournament – was a No. 2 seed.
Purdue, in its Peacock debut this weekend, will make a school-high six regular-season appearances on Peacock this season.
1:45 p.m. ET: Ball State vs. Indiana State
In a matchup of conference-leading teams, the 2023 Indy Classic begins this Saturday with Ball State taking on Indiana State at 1:45 p.m. ET live on Peacock.
Leading the MAC, Ball State has won three straight games including an 83-71 victory over SIU Edwardsville on Sunday. Forward Basheer Jihad tallied a double-double in the win (27 points, 10 rebounds) and leads the Cardinals with 19.3 points per game this season.
Indiana State enters Saturday on an eight-game winning streak, most recently defeating Southern Indiana, 98-54, last weekend as six players scored in double figures.
Saturday’s Men’s College Basketball Games Exclusively on Peacock:
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