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GoldandBlack.com Purdue Basketball Game Preview: #21 Auburn

On3 imageby: Brian Neubert12 hours agobrianneubert

In its final marquee game of the non-conference season, sixth-ranked Purdue meets No. 21 Auburn in Indianapolis Saturday at the annual Indy Classic, the back end of the neutral-site home-and-home deal that sent the Boilermakers to Birmingham last season.

INDY CLASSIC
DETAILS: Saturday, Dec. 20, 2025 | 6:30 p.m. ET | TV: Peacock/NBC Sports Network (Noah Eagle, Robbie Hummel, Cayleigh Griffin) | Radio: Purdue Radio Network
PURDUE (9-1, 2-0 B1G): ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS
AUBURN (8-3): ROSTER | SCHEDULE | STATS

TeamAPCoachesNETKenPomKenPom Win%
Purdue669677%
Auburn2124333023%

A FEW THINGS ABOUT PURDUE

•

ABOUT AUBURN

• Under first-year coach Steven Pearl, thrust into the big chair prior to the season by his father’s abrupt-but-not-altogether surprising retirement, Auburn is 8-3, 3-3 vs. high-major competition. It has beaten St. John’s and unspectacular Oregon and N.C. State teams, while dropping a one-point game to mighty Houston and getting blown out by surging Michigan and Arizona, who’ve taken turns thus far looking like the best team in the country. Some schedule for a first-year coach to handle.

• Normally an excellent defensive program, Auburn is currently 75th nationally in defensive efficiency, per KenPom. That might be a direct reflection of the schedule, though, as the Michigan and Arizona games got away from the Tigers and those two opponents combined for 199 points.

• UCF transfer Keyshawn Hall has been a star for Auburn, averaging just under 21 points, with 17 threes on 42-percent shooting, and nine rebounds. The 6-foot-7, 240-pound power forward is at his fourth school in as many seasons but has hit the ground running in his final stop.

• Purdue’s focus on dribble penetration will be tested by dynamic guard Tahaad Pettiford, who returned for a second season at Auburn after considering an NBA jump, then turning down a chance to break the bank in the portal after the coaching change, though here’s guessing he’s doing OK on the Plains.

Pettiford’s averaging 16-plus points, one of four double-digit scorers for the Tigers.

THREE KEYS FOR PURDUE

DEFENSIVE MOMENTUMOFFENSIVE POISETHREES
Purdue has been really good on D the past two games, but has to keep its energy, detail and cohesiveness consistent. There’s going to be pressure, length and athleticism all over the floor here. Purdue needs to take care of the ball, not get sped up, play at its pace, execute and be ready for anything.Auburn has bigs who can really shoot. Keep an eye on that. Different players now, but it was central to the Tigers’ romp last season.

THREE THOUGHTS

• There are going to be teams this season Purdue can just rebound to death. This may not be one of those teams. Auburn is a rebounding peer and keeping them off the offensive glass is Job 1.
• SEC physicality is really good for Purdue, and it is way better equipped to handle it now than it was when Texas A&M brought brass knuckles to this event a season ago. The more Purdue conditions itself for street fights and the more it conditions itself to not worry about officiating, the better.
• Golden opportunity here for a signature Braden Smith game playing in his back yard and at a time when he’s defending at a really high level, but Trey Kaufman-Renn is due for a big one. Purdue doesn’t need him to be the end-all, be-all offensively anymore, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t going to be semi-regular 25-and-12s forthcoming.

GOLDANDBLACK.COM PREDICTION: PURDUE 77, AUBURN 70

Tough game. Purdue’s defensive energy the past two games is a big deal, but now it’s time to apply it against good competition.

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