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The Breakfast Buffet: Purdue/Alabama, Michigan State, PJ Haggerty

Who’s hungry for college basketball?

Here’s today’s installment of “The Breakfast Buffet”, a daily column that can be found here every single morning getting you caught up to date on everything that’s happened from the day/night before and everything that’s going to happen in the next 24 hours.

Mangia!

Things To Sample

Purdue/Alabama
The Crimson Tide have been one of the most impressive teams in college basketball so far this season while the Boilers have been a tad disappointing. One big thing to remember: Purdue has played the first two games of the 2025-26 season without All-American big man Trey Kaufman-Renn due to a hip injury, but the 6-9 veteran told reporters on Thursday that he plans to make his season debut tonight. The Boilers’ perimeter will have their hands plenty full tonight against Alabama’s lethal guard core of LaBaron Philon, Aden Holloway, and Latrell Wrightsell, who combined to score 63 of this team’s 103 points in last Saturday’s win over St. John’s at MSG. Alabama — who’s currently ranked THIRD in the ROTHSTEIN 45 — will elevate to the top spot if it beats the top-ranked Boilers tonight in Tuscaloosa.

Michigan State is still searching for a wing
Who’s going to emerge alongside the Spartans’ cemented quartet of Jeremy Fears, Coen Carr, Jaxon Kohler, and Carson Cooper? That’s the million dollar question right now in East Lansing as Tom Izzo’s team desperately needs more outside shooting. Michigan State is a combined 7-35 from three-point range in its first two outings. A word to the wise: Keep a close eye on 6-7 freshman Jordan Scott (6.0 points, 6.5 rebounds). The Spartans host San Jose State tonight at the Breslin Center.

PJ Haggerty is doing PJ Haggerty things
An All-American last season when he was at Memphis, the 6-4 Haggerty is now doing major work for Kansas State. Through the Wildcats’ first two games, Haggerty — who’s in more of a facilitating role this season than he was last season with the Tigers — is putting up All-American caliber numbers as he’s averaging 25.0 points and 7.0 assists while shooting an impressive 51.7 percent from the field and 42.9 percent from three-point range. Kansas State will look to improve to 3-0 tonight when it hosts Cal in Manhattan. Tip off is at 9 PM ET on CBS Sports Network.

On The Side

  • UConn’s Tarris Reed has exploded like a volcano after sitting out the season opener with a hamstring injury. The 6-10 big man is averaging 19.5 points, 10.0 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks in two games for the 3-0 Huskies, who will next face BYU on Saturday night at TD Garden in Boston.
  • Florida’s starting backcourt — Xaivian Lee and Boogie Fland — is only a combined 8-41 from three-point range in the Gators’ first three games.
  • Gonzaga currently has six different players — Graham Ike, Braden Huff, Tyon Grant-Foster, Adam Miller, Jalen Warley, and Mario Saint-Supery — averaging between 9.7 points and 17.3 points.
  • Pitt’s Brandin Cummings (lower body) will likely be a game-time decision for tonight’s game against West Virginia, Jeff Capel told College Hoops Today. The 6-3 Cummings did not play in the Panthers’ last game and is averaging 18.5 points this season.
  • LSU’s Dedan Thomas — who played last season at UNLV before transferring — has 16 assists and just three turnovers in the Tigers’ first two games.

Daily Specials

  • Pitt at West Virginia
  • San Jose State at Michigan State
  • Purdue at Alabama
  • Cal at Kansas State

Leftovers