Purdue Hoops announces two-game series with Auburn

Chris Forman – Purdue Sports Information

4 hours ago

Purdue head coach Matt Painter yells to his team as they played against Illinois during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in West Lafayette, Indiana, Friday, Jan. 5, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue and Auburn men’s basketball programs have announced the start of a two-game neutral-site series beginning in Birmingham, Alabama, in December.

The Boilermakers and Tigers will start the series on December 21, 2024 in Birmingham and then play in the fourth annual Indy Classic at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis on December 20, 2025.

The Boilermakers and Tigers finished third and fourth in the KenPom rankings last year and combined for a 61-13 record. Purdue won the Big Ten regular season title by three games last year, while Auburn won the SEC Tournament. The Tigers were seeded fourth in the NCAA Tournament last season, while the Boilermakers were seeded first.

Purdue leads the all-time championship with Auburn, 2-1. They last faced the Tigers in the Cancun Challenge Championship game in November 2016. The Boilermakers defeated the Tigers 96-71, powered by six players with double-digit scoring and led by freshman Carsen Edwards with 21 points and three steals. Purdue made 17 of 26 three-point attempts in that game and hit 64.3 percent of its shots from the field.

The Tigers are coming off a 27-8 season and return All-American candidate Johni Broome, as well as welcoming Furman standout JP Pegues to their roster. The Tigers are ranked No. 11 in ESPN’s way-too-early Top 25 poll.

The Boilermakers have now earned a spot in the national championship game and boast a 34-5 record. Three starters are expected to return, in addition to three other players who played in at least 31 games last season. Head coach Matt Painter also welcomes a six-man recruiting class that ranks among the top 10 in the country.

Purdue is now scheduled to play three SEC teams in the 2024-25 season, with preseason matches against Alabama (No. 2), Auburn (No. 11) and Texas A&M (No. 12), in addition to Big East power and Marquette (No. 17). The Boilermakers could also face SEC dark horse Ole Miss in San Diego, as well as 2024 Final Four participants North Carolina State and BYU in San Diego.