Scouting: NIU, Illinois, Loyola men's basketball

Northern Illinois at Northwestern

When: 7 p.m. Friday at Welsh-Ryan Arena

Internet: BigTenNetwork.com

Radio: WSCR 670-AM, WYLL 1160-AM

Skinny: It's the first meeting between the Wildcats and Huskies since 1986. Northwestern, blessed and cursed with its highest expectations in a generation, unveils how it plans to survive without senior forward Kevin Coble's 16 points and 5 rebounds per game. Coble's injured left foot - suffered coming down with a rebound in Tuesday's practice - has him sidelined at least for pre-conference play. Look for senior guard Jeremy Nash to take Coble's spot in the lineup. For Northern Illinois, also blessed with its highest hopes in a handful of years, it's the debut of Colorado transfer Xavier Silas. It's also the first of three chances for the Huskies to get their first win over a Big Ten team since Dec. 1999 (they also travel to Illinois and Minnesota). NIU is 6-32 all-time against Big Ten foes.

SIU-Edwardsville at Illinois

When: 7 p.m. Friday at Assembly Hall

Internet: ESPN360.com

Radio: WIND 560-AM

Skinny: The No. 23 Illini open their season against an SIUE team that lost a home exhibition to Div. III Illinois College. The Cougars are in Year 2 of their transition to Div. I. They can't qualify for the NCAA Tournament, but their RPI number counts on Illinois' ledger. Senior PG Aamit McCleary and soph SF Mark Yelovich are SIUE's best players. Illinois coach Bruce Weber hopes junior PG Demetri McCamey will be his best player most nights, which is a challenge both to McCamey and to second-team all-Big Ten junior forward Mike Davis. Freshman G D.J. Richardson led the Illini in their last exhibition with 23 points.

Loyola at Kansas State

When: 7 p.m. Friday at Bramlage Coliseum

Pay TV: ESPN Full Court; DirecTV Ch. 672

Internet: ESPN360.com

Radio: WAUR 930-AM, WNTD 950-AM, WLUW 88.7-FM

Skinny: The youthful Ramblers, who'll trot out four starters with little or no Division I experience, jump into the deep end against a K-State team that's "Also Receiving Votes" in the Top 25 preseason polls. The Wildcats retain four starters from a 22-win team that went to the NIT's second round. Junior guard Jacob Pullen (13.9 ppg), a Proviso East grad, is the team's No. 2 returning scorer. K-State also unveils a terrific freshman class that features McDonald's All-American Wally Judge. The upside for Loyola? It gets a return game from Kansas State next year.