The Kentucky Wildcats men’s basketball team will face off against the Purdue Boilermakers in a preseason exhibition game at Rupp Arena on October 24, the school announced Friday.
Details such as game time and TV coverage will be shared at a later date.
Thanks to updated NCAA rules allowing Division I teams to schedule preseason exhibitions, both programs added this high-profile matchup, which won’t impact official records or stats.
Purdue, coming off a runner-up finish in the 2024 NCAA Tournament, is projected to be a top-five team next season. The Boilermakers return All-American guard Braden Smith, a leading candidate for National Player of the Year. In 2024-25, Smith joined Ja Morant as just the second player in NCAA history to record at least 500 points, 300 assists, and 150 rebounds in a single season—and became the first Big Ten player ever to notch 300+ assists in one year.
Under longtime head coach Matt Painter, who enters his 21st season with a 496-220 record, Purdue has reached eight Sweet 16s and made the NCAA Tournament 16 times in the past 18 years.
The game promises to be a major early-season test for Kentucky, likely featuring two top-10 teams squaring off in Lexington.
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