Purdue basketball adds NCAA Tournament team to 2026-27 season schedule
The Boilermakers have reportedly added several nonconference games as their schedule rounds into shape.
WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue basketball is adding a non-conference game against a 2026 NCAA Tournament team this season. Cal Baptist will play at Purdue on Dec. 21, CBS Sports ' Jon Rothstein reported.
The Lancers are coming off a 25-9 season and the program's first NCAA Tournament appearance, where they lost to Kansas in the opening round. Cal Baptist transitioned from Division II to Division I in 2018. Purdue, coming off a 30-9 season and Elite Eight appearance has a nonconference schedule that includes Gonzaga on Nov.
2 in Las Vegas, a home game against Tennessee on Dec. 12 and a road trip to Iowa State , a return trip after the Cyclones played at Mackey Arena last season. Purdue also reportedly will host Valparaiso, per The Victory Bell 's Paul Oren, and Illinois State, where former Boilermaker Ethan Morton is director of basketball operations, per Field of 68 's Rocco Miller.
Purdue annually competes in a December game at Gainbridge Fieldhouse and a multi-team event around Thanksgiving, though no announcements have been made on opponents. Purdue's Big Ten schedule was released on Monday and includes home-and-away games against Indiana, Illinois and Rutgers. Additionally, the Boilermakers will host Iowa, Maryland, Nebraska, Northwestern, Ohio State, UCLA and USC and plays at Michigan, Michigan State, Minnesota, Oregon, Penn State, Washington and Wisconsin.