Scouting: Chicago Invitational Challenge

Friday's schedule

Game 1: Austin Peay (2-3) vs. Charleston Southern (2-3), noon

Game 2: Oakland (1-3) vs. Southern (1-5), 2:30 p.m.

Game 3: Richmond (4-1) vs. Wright St. (3-1), 5 p.m.

Game 4: Purdue (4-0) vs. Southern Illinois (2-2), 7:30 p.m. (BTN)

Saturday's schedule

Game 5: Losers of Games 1 and 2, 11 a.m.

Game 6: Winners of Games 1 and 2, 1:30 p.m.

Game 7: Losers of Games 3 and 4, 4 p.m.

Game 8: Winners of Games 3 and 4, 6:30 p.m. (BTN)

Notes

After moving to UIC Pavilion last year, the tournament returns to its Sears Centre roots. No. 10 Purdue is the favorite led by all-Big Ten returnees JaJuan Johnson (17.0 ppg, 9.5 rpg) and E'Twaun Moore (19.5 ppg, 3.5 apg), though Richmond and Oakland retain crucial players from last year's NCAA Tournament qualifiers.

The tournament serves as a holiday homecoming for several Chicago area natives, including first-year Wright State coach Billy Donlon (Glenbrook North) and director of basketball operations Brendan Mullins (Downers Grove South), Oakland No. 2 scorer Reggie Hamilton (Thornwood), SIU redshirt freshman guard Diamond Taylor (Bolingbrook) and Austin Peay freshman center Matt Haase (Naperville North).

Purdue, SIU, Wright State and Richmond each won two games during the first half of this tournament, which was played on their respective campuses.

Champions

2006: Illinois

2007: Xavier

2008: Dayton

2009: Northwestern

MVPs

2006: Chester Frazier, Illinois

2007: Drew Lavender and C.J. Anderson, Xavier

2008: Chris Wright, Dayton

2009: John Shurna, Northwestern

Tickets

Available at 1-888-SEARS-TIX and the Sears Centre box office. Two-day passes are as little as $62. One-day tickets are as low as $37. There's also a Pepsi Family four-pack for $50 that provides four tickets, four hot dogs, four drinks and four fries.

Parking: $15