Following a successful season that saw the Boilermakers fall just short of the Elite Eight, Purdue men’s basketball spent the offseason getting better. It started with the main trio, Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Fletcher Loyer all opting to return to Purdue for their senior season. Next, Matt Painter secured commitments from three additional players, Oscar Cluff, Omer Mayer, and Liam Murphy. Add these guys to returning players CJ Cox, Gicarri Harris, Raleigh Burgess, and a healthy Daniel
Jacobsen alongside the additions of Jack Benter in his redshirt freshman year and Antione West, this looks to be the deepest and most talented team Matt Painter has ever assembled. This is evidenced by the release of the AP Preseason Poll in which Purdue is ranked #1.
This will mark the first time in program history that Purdue is the preseason #1 team as well as being the 4th season in the last 5 that Purdue has been ranked #1 at some point. Purdue’s previous best preseason rank was #2 before the 1987-1988 season behind Syracuse.
The participants of the last 2 national championship games make up the top 4 as Houston, Florida, and UConn ranked 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Rounding out the top 5 is Rick Pitino led St. Johns.
Amongst the other teams in this preseason top 25 are 5 additional Big Ten teams: Michigan at 7, UCLA at 12, Illinois at 17, Michigan State at 22, and Wisconsin at 24. Oregon (27th), Ohio State (30th), USC (33rd), Washington (35th), Iowa (37th), and Indiana (43rd) did not make the top 25 but did receive votes in the poll.
Outside of conference opponents, Matt Painter and Purdue have again scheduled elite teams throughout the early season including Alabama, Iowa State, and Auburn. Purdue will also face off against Kentucky in an exhibition match this month and the Boilermakers likely will take on Texas Tech in the Baha Mar Hoops Championship this November.
Altogether, Purdue’s schedule against teams in the preseason poll is as follows:
10/24 At #9 Kentucky (Exhibition)
11/13 At #15 Alabama
11/21 Vs #10 Texas Tech (Potential Baha Mar Hoops Opponent)
12/6 Vs #16 Iowa State
12/20 Vs #20 Auburn (Indy Classic)
1/2 At #24 Wisconsin
1/7 Vs Washington (RV)
1/14 Vs Iowa (RV)
1/17 At USC (RV)
1/20 At #12 UCLA
1/24 Vs #17 Illinois
1/27 At Indiana (RV)
2/7 Vs Oregon (RV)
2/14 At Iowa (RV)
2/17 Vs #7 Michigan
2/20 Vs Indiana (RV)
2/26 Vs #22 Michigan State
3/1 At Ohio State (RV)
3/7 Vs #24 Wisconsin
So, if you count the likely matchup with Texas Tech in the NTE, Purdue will play 18 regular season games against teams that are ranked or receiving votes in the preseason poll. Purdue was anointed the crown to begin the season and now is the time to defend it, though it will not be easy. We are now just 22 days away from the season opener in Mackey on November 4th and this poll just adds to the anticipation of a great season. Boiler Up!
