TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Alabama basketball assistant Ryan Pannone stopped practice Thursday to yell at Rutgers transfer center Clifford Omoruyi.

“Is there anyone who can hear that call in Mackey Arena?” Pannone asked, referring to the rowdy No. 2 venue Alabama will face when it travels to No. 13 Purdue on Friday.

“No,” Omoruyi answered reluctantly.

No one on Alabama’s roster knows the challenge of playing in front of Purdue’s home fans better than Omoruyi. During his four seasons at Rutgers, the graduated big man played three games in the 14,240-capacity arena. His Rutgers squad was 1-2 in those games, which defeated then-No. 1 Purdue 65-64 on Jan. 2, 2023.

Omoruyi averaged 10 points and five rebounds while shooting 35.7% from the floor in his three previous games at Mackey Arena. He is 2-4 all-time against Purdue, averaging 10.67 points, 5.33 rebounds and one block over that span. That’s not bad, considering he faced two-time Naismith Award winner Zach Edey all six times.

“I think he knows the noise level and the crowds,” Oats said. “He has also played some good games against them. He played Edey, I mean it’s hard to play Edey well. He is the most dominant big in college basketball in a long time. But I thought he did a good job at times against Purdue.”

Purdue will not have Edey, who has since moved on to the NBA. The Boilermakers will also be without sophomore forward Daniel Jacobsen, who suffered a season-ending leg injury last week.

Still, Purdue’s lineup features 7-foot-2 sophomore Will Berg at center, as well as 6-foot-11 junior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who is averaging 15.3 points and 5.7 rebounds in three games.

“This is a team that has been perhaps the best in the country at developing bigs and getting good bigs with high potential to go there,” Oats said. “They’re doing a great job developing it. So they still have good players and Cliff will have to play very well for us.’

And of course, Mackey’s audience is expected to be big for the home boiler makers.

Omoruyi has experience dealing with the Purdue faithful, while Alabama’s other veterans have all faced similar hostile venues throughout their careers.

However, Friday’s game will be the first college test for Alabama freshmen Labaron Philon, Derrion Reid and Aiden Sherrell, all of whom have played key roles for the Tide so far this season.

“We tell them the environment will be great,” Oats said. “But I also told them in a video this morning, ‘The toughest competitors I’ve ever coached were at their best in the toughest conditions.’

Oats cited Brandon Miller’s performance in Alabama’s win at South Carolina two seasons ago as an example. Under intense scrutiny from Gamecocks fans, Miller dropped a career-high 41 points and eight rebounds as he led the Tide to a 78-76 overtime victory.

“If you want to be a competitor, it’s a lot easier to be a frontrunner and look great at home when the whole crowd is behind you,” Oats said. “The real competitors appear on the road.”

Alabama’s trip to Purdue will be the first of six straight games away from Coleman Coliseum. After taking on the Boilermakers, the Tide will take on Illinois in Birmingham before traveling to Las Vegas for the Players Era Festival, where it is guaranteed to face No. 8 Houston and No. 24 Rutgers, as well as one of No. 12 Texas A&M, No. 15 Creighton, San Diego State or Oregon. From there, Alabama will conclude its cross-country tour with a road trip to No. 10 North Carolina.

Alabama’s next home game is Dec. 14 against No. 15 Creighton.

“It’s worked out that way with the number of home games we try to play,” Oats said. “We got the three right out of the gate. We want good games, you want some neutral colors. We have Creighton at home, if you want good home games these high majors are not bought, you have to play home and away. Purdue is coming back here next year, Creighton, we were there last year, they are coming back. We try to get those teams to come to our house, we have to go to their house.”

No. No. 2 Alabama (3-0) and No. 13 Purdue (3-0) will head off Friday at 6:00 PM CT. The game can be viewed via Peacock.