Auburn and Purdue announce a non-conference males’s basketball line, foundation in Birmingham on Dec. 21, 2024.
AUBURN, Ala. — Get able for hardwood showdowns as Auburn Tigers and Purdue Boilermakers equipment up for an exhilarating two-year basketball line, kicking off on Dec. 21, 2024, at Birmingham’s Legacy Enviornment. Russ Potts Productions, Inc. (RPPI), together with the Birmingham Jefferson Conference Complicated (BJCC) and the Better Birmingham Conference and Guests Bureau made the announcement on Monday.
This may increasingly mark the primary recreation of a two-year series between Auburn and Purdue as the colleges will face off once more as a part of the Fourth Annual Indy Vintage on Dec. 20, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. The Indy Vintage is arranged and operated through RPPI, Pacers Sports activities & Leisure and Indiana Sports activities Corp.
Purdue and Auburn have met at the hardwood thrice with Purdue eminent the all time line, 2-1. The closing assembly between the 2 faculties took park right through the 2016 season within the championship recreation of the Cancun Problem with Purdue profitable that recreation, 96-71. Previous to that, the Boilermakers and Tigers met in postseason play games with a Purdue win (79-61) right through the 2001 NIT Event and an Auburn win (59-58) right through the 1985 NCAA Event.
Auburn seems to be to guard its Southeastern Convention Event Championship from a 12 months in the past at the back of the go back of All-American, SEC Event Maximum Reliable Participant and All-SEC First Staff variety Johni Broome (16.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, Naismith Defensive Participant of the Time Award semifinalist). The senior ahead/middle is likely one of the lead returning avid gamers within the nation. He helped supremacy the Tigers to the third-most wins in program historical past, third-straight NCAA Event look and a 27-8 general file in 2023-24.
Head schoolteacher Bruce Pearl enters his eleventh season on The Plains and is 14 wins clear of changing into the all time winningest schoolteacher in program historical past. Auburn will play games one of the most hardest non-conference schedules with 3 2024 NCAA Ultimate 4 contributors on its slate together with Purdue, Alabama and protecting nationwide champion UConn (doable opponent on the Maui Invitational).
The Tigers welcome seven newbies to the squad together with McDonald’s All-American and five-star rookie preserve Tahaad Pettiford and 3 veteran transfers in JP Pegues (Furman), Miles Kelly (Georgia Tech) and Ja’Heim Hudson (SMU).
“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 stated. “Matt has one of the most excellent faculty basketball techniques within the nation. His youngsters play games crisp and play games the correct manner. Purdue is likely one of the lead techniques within the Bulky Ten profitable 3 convention championships and being ranked Disagree. 1 nationally over the closing 3 seasons.
“We are excited about playing in Birmingham, which will serve as an NCAA Regional site. With a quality opponent like Purdue, I would anticipate us selling out Legacy Arena. I know the Auburn Family will step up and meet that challenge. We are excited for our players, because if you want to be the best, you have to play the best.”
Purdue is coming off an look within the NCAA Championship recreation and a 34-5 file. Braden Smith (12.0 ppg, 7.5 apg, Cousy Award finalist), Fletcher Loyer (10.3 ppg, 63 three-pointers) and Trey Kaufman-Renn (6.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg) every go back later foundation all 39 video games a 12 months in the past, along with 3 alternative avid gamers that performed a minimum of 31 video games closing season.
Head schoolteacher Matt Painter additionally welcomes a five-member recruiting magnificence this is ranked a number of the Supremacy 10 nationally. The Boilermakers are persistently rated within the Supremacy 15 within the Supremacy-25 polls coming into the 2024-25 season.
“We are excited to be part of an outstanding two-year series with Auburn, beginning in December in Birmingham, then returning to Indianapolis in 2025,” Painter stated. “We strive to make our non-conference schedule very competitive, and Auburn will be one of the top teams in the SEC this coming season.”
“We are thrilled to announce one of the top non-conference games of the season with Auburn taking on Purdue in Birmingham. We anticipate a full house and tremendous atmosphere on Dec. 21 in Legacy Arena,” stated RPPI President, Zach Franz.
“The BJCC is honored to host an exciting non-conference game between the Auburn Tigers and Purdue Boilermakers,” stated Govt Director & CEO of the BJCC, Tad Snider. “We are thrilled to see how recent investments in Legacy Arena continue to make downtown Birmingham and the greater Birmingham area a premier destination for sports, entertainment, conventions, and meetings. Our team looks forward to showcasing all that our city has to offer to visitors, athletes, and fans during this series.”
Tickets for the development will travel on sale within the coming months on ticketmaster.
