Mon Nov 04 22:10:00 UTC 2024: ## Purdue Basketball Sets Up Another Brutal Non-Conference Schedule for 2024-25 Season

**West Lafayette, IN** – The Purdue Boilermakers, fresh off a 35-game non-conference winning streak, are set to face another gauntlet of challenges in the upcoming season. According to Purdue’s Director of Basketball Administration and Operations, Elliot Bloom, the team aims for six high-major matchups in their non-conference schedule, and this year, they’ve arguably surpassed that goal.

“We’ve been trying to push the envelope and have a difficult schedule year after year,” Bloom stated. “This year was already tracking to be pretty tough, and the additions of Auburn and Alabama took it to another level.”

The schedule includes matchups against preseason top 25 teams like Alabama, Auburn, Texas A&M, and Marquette, as well as a Final Four rematch with North Carolina State. The Boilermakers will also face a rematch against Alabama in Tuscaloosa after their game in West Lafayette this season.

“We were looking to start a home-and-home series, and out of the blue, Alabama called and said they had the dates we were looking for,” Bloom explained. “Not only did we add a high-quality game for our fans, but we also added a really good team that went to the Final Four last year.”

The Boilermakers will also play Texas A&M in a neutral site game in Indianapolis. “The whole idea is to get good games for our fans but also good games that help our NET,” Bloom said, acknowledging the importance of a strong NET ranking for NCAA tournament seeding.

Despite the challenges presented by conference realignment, particularly with the addition of UCLA, USC, Oregon, and Washington to the Big Ten, Bloom believes the schedule will prepare Purdue for the rigors of Big Ten play. “Our league is looking at things like that, and at the end of the day, your league metric isn’t the end all be all, but it certainly helps if you can say your league is one of the top two in the country.”

With the season starting on Monday against Texas A&M Corpus Christi, all eyes are on the Boilermakers as they navigate another demanding non-conference schedule.

Read More