Boilermakers reveal challenging non-conference slate

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – With the announcement earlier this week of a home-and-home series with SEC power Auburn, the Purdue men’s basketball non-conference scheduled has been finalized.

A year after owning the nation’s toughest non-conference schedule among power-conference teams, Purdue has once again loaded up, facing as many as four teams that finished in the NET’s top 15 from a year ago. The schedule features as many as seven games against KenPom top-100 teams and just one opponent that finished outside the top 200 from a year ago.

Seven opponents reached the NCAA Tournament last season, including two that reached the Final Four (Alabama and North Carolina State – possible). Another foe, Toledo, won its conference regular-season title (MAC) before bowing out in its conference tournament. Six of Purdue’s opponents finished first or second in their conference’s regular-season standings, respectively.

The Boilermakers are coming off a spot in the 2024 National Championship game and a 34-5 record. Three starters are scheduled to return in addition to three other players that played at least 31 games this past season. Head coach Matt Painter also welcomes a five-member recruiting class that is ranked among the top 10 nationally.

OPPONENT CAPSULES (LAST YEAR’S RECORDS / RANKINGS)

• Oct. 30 – Grand Valley State (EXH); 16-15 overall, 11-7 GLIAC (4 ^th ); L – Conf. Tournament Finals
• Nov. 4 – Texas A&M-Corpus Christi; 21-12 overall, 14-4 Southland (2 ^nd ); 179 NET, 182 KenPom
• Nov. 8 – Northern Kentucky; 18-15 overall, 12-8 Horizon (5 ^th ); 183 NET, 186 KenPom
• Nov. 11 – Yale; 23-10 overall, 11-3 Ivy League (2 ^nd ); 83 NET, 90 KenPom
• Nov. 15 – Alabama; 25-12 overall, 13-5 SEC (2 ^nd ); 9 NET, 14 KenPom
• Nov. 19 – Marquette; 27-10, 14-6 Big East (2 ^nd ); 14 NET, 13 KenPom
• Nov. 23 – Marshall; 13-20 overall, 7-11 Sun Belt (10 ^th ); 245 NET, 238 KenPom
• Nov. 28 OR 29 (POSSIBLE) – BYU; 23-11 overall, 10-8 Big 12 (5 ^th ); 12 NET, 18 KenPom
• Nov. 28 OR 29 (POSSIBLE) – North Carolina State; 26-15 overall, 9-11 ACC (10 ^th ); 63 NET, 45 KenPom
• Nov. 28 OR 29 (POSSIBLE) – Ole Miss; 20-12 overall, 7-11 SEC (10 ^th ); 90 NET, 86 KenPom
• Dec. 14 – Texas A&M; 21-15 overall, 9-9 SEC (7 ^th ); 45 NET, 35 KenPom
• Dec. 21 – Auburn; 27-8 overall, 13-5 SEC (2 ^nd ); 5 NET, 4 KenPom
• Dec. 29 – Toledo; 20-12 overall, 14-4 MAC (1 ^st ); 130 NET, 139 KenPom

Dating back from last season, Purdue’s schedule has ranked 2 ^nd (2023-24), 32 ^nd (2022-23), 33 ^rd (2021-22), 17 ^th (2020-21), 6 ^th (2019-20) and 4 ^th (2018-19).

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