10 Reasons Why I'm Excited for the 2024-25 Purdue Men's Basketball Season

Purdue basketball gets underway on Monday, hosting Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Here are 10 reasons why I'm excited for another year of Boilermaker basketball.

Dustin Schutte | Nov 1, 2024

Purdue Boilermakers forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) reacts after a play against the Connecticut Huskies / Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

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Purdue Boilermakers

Another Purdue basketball season is on the horizon. On Monday, Nov. 4, the Boilermakers will open the 2024-25 campaign against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. Matt Painter's team is pursuing a third straight Big Ten championship and another deep run in the NCAA Tournament.

There are plenty of reasons to be excited about the season. Here are just a few things I'm excited to see in another year of Purdue basketball.

Watching Trey Kaufman-Renn's development

Kaufman-Renn is ready for his moment. The junior forward has been in the shadows of Zach Edey for the past two seasons, but now it's his time to shine. Kaufman-Renn has put in a lot of work and will be one of Purdue's top options offensively, along with Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer. We've already seen some flashes from Kaufman-Renn two exhibition games. He scored 22 points and grabbed eight rebounds against Creighton and followed it up with 15 points and 10 rebounds against Grand Valley State. He could be in store for an All-Big Ten season.

Braden Smith potentially breaking Purdue's career assist record

Entering the 2024-25 season, Smith has racked up 445 career assists in his first two seasons at Purdue. Bruce Parkinson currently owns the record, dishing out 690 dimes with the Boilermakers. Smith would need 246 assists this season to break the record. It won't be easy, but he did account for 292 assists as a sophomore last season. We could see more history in West Lafayette this year.

Mackey Arena sellouts

Maybe I'm biased, but there's no better atmosphere in college basketball than Mackey Arena. Purdue's sellout streak will reach 89 games this year, an impressive accomplishment. When that place is rocking, it's incredibly difficult for opponents to win games. It should be another fun and exciting atmosphere this year.

The "small ball" lineup

Without Zach Edey, the Boilermakers are going to play some "small ball" this year, moving Trey Kaufman-Renn to the center position and surrounding him with athletic guards and wings. How much will we see it? How effective will it be? Can Purdue defend and rebound with that lineup on the floor? There are a lot of questions about how effective it will be, but it's an interesting change from how the Boilers have played in recent seasons.

Seeing how the freshmen fit in

Purdue brought in a top-20 ranked recruiting class with a handful of players who are prepared to make an immediate impact. In the exhibition games, we've seen how well guards CJ Cox and Gicarri Harris can shoot the basketball, as well as defend. 7-foot-4 center Daniel Jacobsen can cause problems at the rim with his length. Raleigh Burgess somewhat mirrors Kaufman-Renn, giving the Boilermakers another athletic big man. How much will these freshmen play? What will there impact be? Nobody will be surprised if a few of these guys see significant minutes.

Matt Painter quotes

Is there a more quotable coach in college basketball? Whether it's his honest, up-front approach or his quick-witted, funny responses, Painter provides us with some of the best quotes in sports.

Rivalry games vs. Indiana

The intensity between Purdue and Indiana is always high, but it might be elevated to the Gene Keady-Bob Knight days this season. The Boilermakers are chasing a third straight Big Ten title. The Hoosiers assembled an incredibly talented roster through the transfer portal, one that's capable of competing for a conference championship. When both teams are competing for a Big Ten championship, the rivalry only intensifies. It should result in two really fun, hate-fueled matchups.

Caleb Furst's off-court antics

Are we getting more Elf-themed videos, featuring Painter and Furst? Will Purdue's social media team change it up and give us something different this year? I don't have the answer, but I'm excited to see what kind of antics we'll see when the holidays roll around.

The nonconference schedule

Purdue carries a 35-game winning streak against nonconference opponents in the regular season into the 2024-25 campaign. It will be incredibly difficult to keep that streak alive this year. Painter loves playing a tough nonconference schedule, which is evident again this season. Purdue will play No. 2 Alabama (Nov. 15), No. 18 Marquette (Nov. 19), No. 13 Texas A&M (Dec. 14) and No. 11 Auburn (Dec. 21) this year. It also travels to San Diego to play in the Rady Children's Invitational, opening with North Carolina State and then either playing BYU or No. 24 Ole Miss in the next round. Who doesn't love watch high-level basketball so early in the year?

A more aggressive Fletcher Loyer?

During the offseason, Loyer put on more weight and more muscle. While he's shown an ability to get to the rim, the belief is he'll be more aggressive driving to the basket this season and his body will be better able to absorb contact. How much will his game change? Probably not a ton, but it wouldn't be surprising if he's getting a lot more shots at the rim.