WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Two of America's best teams, Purdue and Iowa State, have announced the start of a men's basketball home-and-home series, beginning next season in Mackey Arena with a return trip during the 2026-27 season to Hilton Coliseum.
It will mark just the sixth all-time meeting between the two programs, and first since an 80-76 Boilermaker victory in a 2017 NCAA Tournament second-round contest in Milwaukee.
In addition to Iowa State, the Boilermakers are now scheduled to face Marquette (home), Alabama (away) and Auburn (Indianapolis) next season. The four opposing teams figure to be in the hunt for top-three seeds when the NCAA Tournament starts next month.
Iowa State is currently 19-5 overall and 9-4 in the Big 12 standings, ranking No. 7 in both the KenPom ratings and NCAA NET rankings. The Cyclones are No. 10 in this week's Associated Press top 25 poll. Led by head coach T.J. Otzelberger, the Cyclones thrive on the defensive end, ranking 19th nationally in defensive turnover percentage and seventh in defensive efficiency. Opponents are shooting just 46.5 percent from 2-point range against Iowa State.
Purdue, meanwhile, is 19-6 overall and 11-3 in the Big Ten standings, ranking No. 8 in the KenPom standings and ninth in the NCAA NET rankings. Led by a trio of juniors in Trey Kaufman-Renn, Fletcher Loyer and National Player of the Year candidate Braden Smith, the Boilermakers boast one of America's top offenses, ranking eighth nationally in offensive efficiency. This year's roster features just one player, Caleb Furst, that has exhausted his eligibility after this season.
It will mark just the sixth all-time meeting between the two programs, and first since an 80-76 Boilermaker victory in a 2017 NCAA Tournament second-round contest in Milwaukee.
In addition to Iowa State, the Boilermakers are now scheduled to face Marquette (home), Alabama (away) and Auburn (Indianapolis) next season. The four opposing teams figure to be in the hunt for top-three seeds when the NCAA Tournament starts next month.
Iowa State is currently 19-5 overall and 9-4 in the Big 12 standings, ranking No. 7 in both the KenPom ratings and NCAA NET rankings. The Cyclones are No. 10 in this week's Associated Press top 25 poll. Led by head coach T.J. Otzelberger, the Cyclones thrive on the defensive end, ranking 19th nationally in defensive turnover percentage and seventh in defensive efficiency. Opponents are shooting just 46.5 percent from 2-point range against Iowa State.
Purdue, meanwhile, is 19-6 overall and 11-3 in the Big Ten standings, ranking No. 8 in the KenPom standings and ninth in the NCAA NET rankings. Led by a trio of juniors in Trey Kaufman-Renn, Fletcher Loyer and National Player of the Year candidate Braden Smith, the Boilermakers boast one of America's top offenses, ranking eighth nationally in offensive efficiency. This year's roster features just one player, Caleb Furst, that has exhausted his eligibility after this season.