{"id":277541,"date":"2025-10-04T16:28:11","date_gmt":"2025-10-04T16:28:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/277541\/"},"modified":"2025-10-04T16:28:11","modified_gmt":"2025-10-04T16:28:11","slug":"purdue-basketball-2025-26-preview-this-could-be-the-year","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/277541\/","title":{"rendered":"Purdue Basketball 2025-26 Preview: This Could Be The Year"},"content":{"rendered":"

After controlling the Big Ten for the last several years, Purdue basketball took a step back during the 2024-25 season. That, paired with a pretty massive leg injury for 7-foot-4 rising star Daniel Jacobsen<\/a>, limited the Boilers. While he was out, Purdue was still in the top-six of the Big Ten.<\/p>\n

Now, with Jacobsen and senior point guard Braden Smith<\/a> returning to West Lafayette, the Boilermakers have their eye back on winning it all.<\/p>\n

Purdue Basketball 2025-26 Preview: This Could Be The Year<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s take a closer look at why this could be the year for Purdue basketball.<\/p>\n

Roster Make-Up<\/p>\n

Smith is back and ready to chase down the Big Ten\u2019s all-time assist mark currently held by former Michigan State guard Cassius Winston<\/a>. Smith is only 132 assists away from doing so. That seems very obtainable, as he\u2019ll have plenty of friends to feed the ball to with Fletcher Loyer<\/a> and Trey Kaufman-Renn<\/a> also coming back for their senior campaigns.<\/p>\n

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\ud83e\udee3 Sheesh. Long range \ud83c\udfaf. \u2013 @FletcherLoyer<\/a> pic.twitter.com\/6vB4R7nnsI<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Purdue Men’s Basketball (@BoilerBall) October 1, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

The transfers of Myles Colvin<\/a> and Camden Heide<\/a> are going to hurt. However, Purdue certainly didn\u2019t let that stop them from retooling. A healthy Jacobsen is going to be very beneficial<\/a>, and pairing him alongside South Dakota State transfer Oscar Cluff<\/a> easily makes the Purdue frontcourt pretty stellar. Like many big men, Cluff was born to be a Boilermaker, averaging 17.6 points and 12.3 rebounds per game last season.<\/p>\n

Smith has certainly benefited from some high-level post-play<\/a> in his time at Purdue. Indeed, that\u2019s what makes the Boilermakers one of the favorites in the Big Ten. Yet, Purdue\u2019s staff also brought in some good guard talent, as they were able to get four-star 2025 recruit Antoine West Jr.<\/a> from Toledo and FIBA standout Omer Mayer<\/a> from Israel. A big jump from sophomore CJ Cox<\/a> should also fill out the roster well.<\/p>\n

Best of the Rest:<\/p>\n

Liam Murphy<\/a> (Transfer)<\/p>\n

Aaron Fine<\/a> (RS-Freshman)<\/p>\n

Jack Benter<\/a> (RS-Freshman)<\/p>\n

Gicarri Harris<\/a> (Sophomore)<\/p>\n

Raleigh Burgess<\/a> (Sophomore)<\/p>\n

Jace Rayl<\/a> (Junior)<\/p>\n

Jack Lusk<\/a> (Junior)<\/p>\n

Sam King<\/a> (Senior)<\/p>\n

Schedule Outlook<\/p>\n

Like Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo, Purdue head coach Matt Painter likes to challenge his team, and that\u2019ll be no different<\/a> in 2025-26.<\/p>\n

\"PurduePurdue men\u2019s basketball head coach Matt Painter talks with coaches Friday, June 27, 2025, during the boys high school basketball Top 100 Showcase at Ben Davis High School in Indianapolis. \u00a9 Grace Smith\/IndyStar \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images<\/p>\n

It all begins with an exhibition clash with the Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington on Oct. 4. The Boilermakers have one other exhibition contest before the season begins at home against Evansville on Nov. 4. In early November, they\u2019ll have home non-conference games against the Oakland Golden Grizzlies and Akron Zips.<\/p>\n

A month after their showdown against the Wildcats, they\u2019ll face another SEC powerhouse, taking a trip to Tuscaloosa to face Alabama on Nov. 13. During the Thanksgiving holidays, Purdue will go to the Bahamas to partake in the Baha Mar Championship. Their first game is against Memphis on Nov. 20, their next opponent to be either Texas Tech or Wake Forest on Nov. 21.<\/p>\n

In early Big Ten play, they go to New Jersey to compete against Rutgers on Dec, 2. They\u2019ll be back at home when they get Minnesota on Dec. 10. That month, they\u2019ll have three major clashes, facing Iowa State (Dec. 6) and Marquette (Dec. 13) at home and Auburn in Indianapolis on Dec. 20.<\/p>\n

In general, the Boilermakers\u2019 home slate in the Big Ten should be fun with Washington, Penn State, Iowa, Illinois, Oregon, Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and Michigan State all having to visit Mackey Arena. That clash with the Spartans will be huge, as the Spartans beat Purdue at the Breslin last season. The Boilermakers will also be tested with a California road trip to face both USC and UCLA.<\/p>\n<\/p>\n

Purdue\u2019s road visits to rival Indiana, Wisconsin, Maryland, Nebraska, Iowa, Ohio State, and Northwestern are sure to be worth the price of admission.<\/p>\n

Last Word On The Purdue Boilermakers<\/p>\n

The Big Ten feels like an open contest between like six different teams.<\/p>\n

Purdue is definitely among those six and they may even be the favorite. With that in mind, their West Coast trip will tell what the Boilermakers are made of. To that point, last season\u2019s Big Ten Champion (Michigan State) lost both of their road conference games against UCLA and USC, and then only lost one other conference game against Indiana.<\/p>\n

In the two seasons that immediately preceded 2024-25, Purdue was kicking butt just like that. And, with so much talent in West Lafayette, it\u2019s pretty easy to say that Purdue basketball is going to be right at the top of the Big Ten. Honestly, they\u2019ll even be in the hunt for the Big Prize in March Madness, with Smith challenging for National Player of the Year.<\/p>\n

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