The Evansville Purple Aces open their season with one of the toughest matchups imaginable, traveling to Mackey Arena to face the preseason No. 1 Purdue Boilermakers.
Game Details
TV Schedule: Tuesday, November 4, 5:30 pm CT, Big Ten Network
Arena: Mackey Arena, West Lafayette, Indiana
Evansville Looks for Early Progress Against a Juggernaut
The Aces are coming off an 11-21 campaign that included an 8-12 mark in Missouri Valley Conference play.
Head coach David Ragland enters his fourth year leading the program, still searching for a breakthrough. He owns a 33-66 record overall and has yet to guide Evansville higher than eighth place in the MVC standings. The Aces ended last year with four straight losses, including a first-round exit at Arch Madness to Murray State.
Offensively, Evansville struggled mightily in 2024-25, averaging only 66 points per game and 12.6 assists. Improvement on that end is key if they hope to compete against higher-caliber teams.
Connor Turnbull will likely serve as the focal point of the offense. The 6-foot-10 forward from Saint Paul averaged 9.2 points per game last season while logging heavy minutes. With his experience and size, Turnbull should see his production rise into double figures this year.
The Aces haven’t reached the NCAA Tournament since 1999 under Jim Crews, and facing Purdue to start the season offers an early measuring stick for Ragland’s rebuilding effort.
Purdue Begins Another Season With Championship Ambitions
Purdue returns with sky-high expectations under longtime head coach Matt Painter, who begins his 20th season in charge. Painter has accumulated 471 career wins and made the NCAA Tournament in 16 of his 19 previous years.
The Boilermakers reached the Sweet 16 a year ago after earning a six seed in the Big Ten Tournament and finishing with 29 wins overall. They defeated High Point and McNeese in the NCAA Tournament before falling in a thriller to Houston.
Offensively, Purdue remains loaded. Braden Smith returns as one of the nation’s premier point guards after averaging 15.8 points and 8.7 assists last season. Trey Kaufman-Renn, who scored 20.1 points per game, gives the Boilermakers an elite inside-out scoring threat. Fletcher Loyer, a 14-point-per-game guard, adds perimeter consistency.
Painter also bolstered his frontcourt with the addition of 6-foot-11 Australian transfer Oscar Cluff from South Dakota State. Cluff posted 17.6 points and 12.3 rebounds per game last season and should immediately contribute as a strong interior presence.
Prediction
This matchup heavily favors the home team. Evansville will battle to keep things respectable, but Purdue’s depth, experience, and size are overwhelming. Expect the Boilermakers to dominate early and cruise to a comfortable opening win.
Prediction: Purdue 90, Evansville 50