The Purdue Boilermakers are expected to be a national championship contender in the 2025-26 college basketball season with the return of their trio of seniors-to-be. But can they keep their high ranking with their tough non-conference schedule?
Purdue May Have the Toughest Non-Conference Schedule in College Basketball
The Purdue men’s basketball X page released their non-conference schedule on Tuesday — and it presents a number of tough opponents, with some raising the question that it may be the most difficult in college basketball next season.
What’s ahead of us.
🚂 The non-conference schedule. pic.twitter.com/NvccPPN2MZ
— Purdue Men’s Basketball (@BoilerBall) May 6, 2025
While the schedule technically begins with an exhibition contest against the Kentucky Wildcats, which won’t count against their record, it will really start to feel real once they travel to Tuscaloosa to face the Alabama Crimson Tide.
Despite losing star point guard Mark Sears and several other top contributors, junior point guard Aden Holloway is expected to take the reins and lead another SEC-contending squad.
Evansville and Oakland should be breezes as lower-conference competition. But Akron may prove to be a bit tougher, as they were MAC champions a season ago and secured an NCAA Tournament berth.
Then, the Baha Mar tournament in the Bahamas will feature several competitors that will give the Boilermakers a run for their money.
Two weeks later, they’ll face the Iowa State Cyclones, Marquette Golden Eagles, and Auburn Tigers — each of which made the tournament a season ago and look poised to be ranked in the AP Top-25 come the fall.
That all comes before what is shaping up to be a rigorous Big Ten Conference that could provide tests each night Purdue takes the court.
With all that as a backdrop, the Boilermakers are set up to have a successful season regardless of the tough competition.
Point guard Braden Smith will lead the show after averaging 8.7 assists in 2024 — the second most in the nation. He also added 15.8 points and has even more room to grow as a scorer. He helps feed one of the best shooters in the nation in Fletcher Loyer, who scored 13.8 points and shot 44.4% from three-point range.
Forward Trey Kaufman-Renn led the team in scoring with 20.1 points while grabbing 6.5 rebounds. He shot 59.5% from the field, with much of his scores coming off pinpoint Smith passes.
KEEP READING: Purdue Basketball Transfer Portal
In the end, behind the strong play and leadership of their senior trio, Purdue will be just fine despite having to navigate an extremely tough non-conference schedule.
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