DETROIT, Mich. -- The Purdue men's basketball team went through its media obligations and 105-minute practice session at Little Caesars Arena in preparation for its Sweet Sixteen contest with Gonzaga on Friday night.
Purdue's Matt Painter, Fletcher Loyer, Braden Smith and Zach Edey were the Boilermakers' representatives in the press conference and with CBS / Turner Sports before turning their attention to the practice session held on the home floor of former Purdue star Jaden Ivey and the Detroit Pistons. The first 15 minutes of practice was open to the media before closing for the final 90 minutes.
• TICKETS: Tickets through the Purdue Athletics ticket office are sold out, but we encourage fans to use trusted third-party sites to purchase tickets.: StubHub.
• POSTSEASON CENTRAL: All the information on ticketing and fan gatherings found here: Postseason Information.
The Boilermakers and 5th-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs will battle in the first game of Friday's regional semifinals, tipping off at 7:39 p.m. ET, in Detroit. Tennessee and Creighton will follow the Purdue-Gonzaga game and the winners will play for a trip to the Final Four on Sunday, at a time to be determined.
BOILERBALL NCAA FACTS
• Friday's meeting marks the first time since the 2000 Elite Eight that Purdue will face a team in the NCAA Tournament that it faced in the regular season (Wisconsin). Coincidentally, Purdue defeated Gonzaga 75-66 in the Sweet Sixteen to advance to that Elite Eight to face the Badgers.
• Purdue's 67-point margin in the first two rounds is the largest margin of victory in the opening two rounds since 2009 (Connecticut - +82).
• Purdue is 8-0 this season against teams ranked in the AP top 25. The eight victories with no losses are the most wins without a loss against Top-25 teams since Kentucky in 2012 (10-0).
QUOTABLE
Braden Smith: "We've seen almost every situation possible. We've been through it. It's happened to us. So I think just after everything that happened last year and applying to this year, we kind of understand how to handle those situations."
• FRIDAY / SUNDAY FAN HEADQUARTERS: The Purdue for Life Foundation has established a tournament headquarters for all alumni and fans less than a quarter mile from Little Caesars Arena at Hockeytown Cafe. The Cafe opens at Noon, there is no entry fee, and no registration is required. Attendees are responsible for their own food and drink. Seating is first come, first served!
Time: Opens at Noon
Location: Hockeytown Cafe (2301 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201))
Price: Admission is free, guests are responsible for their own food and drink.
Registration: None, first come, first served.
• SATURDAY FAN HEADQUARTERS: Check back for more info.
• HOW TO FOLLOW US: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
• PREVIEWING THE SWEET SIXTEEN: Release | Game Notes | NCAA Tournament Central | Digital Program
Purdue's Matt Painter, Fletcher Loyer, Braden Smith and Zach Edey were the Boilermakers' representatives in the press conference and with CBS / Turner Sports before turning their attention to the practice session held on the home floor of former Purdue star Jaden Ivey and the Detroit Pistons. The first 15 minutes of practice was open to the media before closing for the final 90 minutes.
• TICKETS: Tickets through the Purdue Athletics ticket office are sold out, but we encourage fans to use trusted third-party sites to purchase tickets.: StubHub.
• POSTSEASON CENTRAL: All the information on ticketing and fan gatherings found here: Postseason Information.
The Boilermakers and 5th-seeded Gonzaga Bulldogs will battle in the first game of Friday's regional semifinals, tipping off at 7:39 p.m. ET, in Detroit. Tennessee and Creighton will follow the Purdue-Gonzaga game and the winners will play for a trip to the Final Four on Sunday, at a time to be determined.
BOILERBALL NCAA FACTS
• Friday's meeting marks the first time since the 2000 Elite Eight that Purdue will face a team in the NCAA Tournament that it faced in the regular season (Wisconsin). Coincidentally, Purdue defeated Gonzaga 75-66 in the Sweet Sixteen to advance to that Elite Eight to face the Badgers.
• Purdue's 67-point margin in the first two rounds is the largest margin of victory in the opening two rounds since 2009 (Connecticut - +82).
• Purdue is 8-0 this season against teams ranked in the AP top 25. The eight victories with no losses are the most wins without a loss against Top-25 teams since Kentucky in 2012 (10-0).
QUOTABLE
Braden Smith: "We've seen almost every situation possible. We've been through it. It's happened to us. So I think just after everything that happened last year and applying to this year, we kind of understand how to handle those situations."
• FRIDAY / SUNDAY FAN HEADQUARTERS: The Purdue for Life Foundation has established a tournament headquarters for all alumni and fans less than a quarter mile from Little Caesars Arena at Hockeytown Cafe. The Cafe opens at Noon, there is no entry fee, and no registration is required. Attendees are responsible for their own food and drink. Seating is first come, first served!
Time: Opens at Noon
Location: Hockeytown Cafe (2301 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI 48201))
Price: Admission is free, guests are responsible for their own food and drink.
Registration: None, first come, first served.
• SATURDAY FAN HEADQUARTERS: Check back for more info.
• HOW TO FOLLOW US: Twitter | Instagram | Facebook | YouTube
• PREVIEWING THE SWEET SIXTEEN: Release | Game Notes | NCAA Tournament Central | Digital Program