Purdue basketball adds two games with SEC powerhouse

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (WISH) — The Purdue Boilermakers are once again adding the nation’s best teams to their non-conference slate.

The Boilers announced Monday that they will play the SEC’s Auburn twice in the next two years at neutral sites. The first will be Saturday, December 21 in Birmingham. Then the two will face each other again in the 2025 Indy Classic set for December 20.

Purdue has faced Auburn only three times in program history — most recently beating the Tigers in the 2016 Cancun Challenge Championship 96-71. The Boilers hold the slight series advantage with a 2-1 record.

Led by head coach Bruce Pearl, Auburn has been a consistent contender in the NCAA Tournament over the last seven years. The Tigers have gone dancing as a top-10 seed five of the last six tournaments. In 2019, the 5-seed Tigers lost to the soon-to-be national champion and top-seeded Virginia in the Final Four by just one point. Last season, Auburn entered the postseason as a 4-seed before getting upset by 13-seed Yale in the First Round.

The Tigers bring back All-American candidate Johni Broome while adding a transfer portal star from the SoCon’s Furman in J.P. Pegues.

Last year’s top-seeded Purdue dominated en route to the national championship game in Phoenix before losing to the back-to-back champs UConn.

When season’s final KenPom ratings were released, Purdue and Auburn were listed as Nos. 3 and 4 respectively. Both won conference championships — Purdue’s being a regular season Big Ten title and Auburn’s the SEC Tournament title.

The addition of Auburn now has Purdue facing three SEC opponents this upcoming season. The Boilers battle Alabama on Friday, November 15 and Texas A&M during December’s Indy Classic. Also already on the schedule is Big East powerhouse Marquette. All four teams are ranked in the preseason top-20.