Purdue, Auburn to square off in each of next 2 seasons

Field Level Media|published: Mon 15th July, 21:32 2024

NCAA Basketball: NCAA Tournament First Round-Auburn vs Yale

Mar 22, 2024; Spokane, WA, USA; Auburn Tigers forward Johni Broome (4) drives to the basket against Yale Bulldogs guard Bez Mbeng (2) during the first half of a game in the first round of the 2024 NCAA Tournament at Spokane Veterans Memorial Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Two of college basketball's recent titans finalized a two-year series that will begin this December.

Purdue and Auburn, two likely preseason Top 25 teams, will face off Dec. 21, 2024 in Birmingham, Ala. The return game comes Dec. 20, 2025, as part of the Indy Classic in Indianapolis.

Purdue may not have national player of the year Zach Edey going forward, but the 2023-24 NCAA runner-up Boilermakers are still formidable competition against the Bruce Pearl-led Tigers.

"I am grateful to Matt Painter and the Purdue Boilermakers for agreeing to a two-game series to be played this year in Birmingham and next year in Indianapolis," Pearl said in a statement. "Matt has one of the finest college basketball programs in the country. His kids play hard and play the right way. Purdue is one of the top programs in the Big Ten winning three conference championships and being ranked No. 1 nationally over the last three seasons. ...

"We are excited for our players, because if you want to be the best, you have to play the best."

Auburn has won more than 20 games six times in the past seven years, including a 30-10 campaign and Final Four appearance in 2018-19 as well as a 27-8 record last year. The Tigers were upset in the first round of the NCAA Tournament by Yale last March.

"We strive to make our nonconference schedule very competitive, and Auburn will be one of the top teams in the SEC this coming season," Purdue's Painter said in a statement, in part.

--Field Level Media