College Basketball Expert Ranks Purdue Fans as Big Ten's Best
Purdue fans have caught the attention of college basketball expert Andy Katz. The NCAA and Big Ten Network contributor recently ranked Boilermaker faithful as among the most passionate in the sport.
Katz recently released his top-10 list of the best fanbases in college basketball. Purdue came in at No. 5 overall, ranking higher than any other team in the Big Ten. The only other conference teams to crack the list were Illinois (No. 6) and Indiana (No. 8).
"The Purdue faithful are always in attendance when coach Matt Painter and his team are in town, selling out the West Lafayette, Ind. venue consistently," Katz wrote.
"And with Mackey Arena’s circular structure and dome roof, the Boilermakers fan base makes the compact environment feel like a nightmare for visiting teams. It's a must-see experience."
To Katz's point, Purdue fans have showed up in full force for years. At the end of the 2023-24 campaign, Mackey Arena had sold out for each of the last 73 men's basketball games.
The momentum continues to grow.
Purdue is coming off one of the best seasons in program history. The Boilermakers won a second consecutive Big Ten title, finished with a 34-5 record and reached the National Championship Game for the first time since 1969.
After having that type of monumental success, it's expected that Mackey Arena will be sold out for all 16 regular season games the Boilermakers play in 2024-25, pushing the sellout streak to 89 games.
Purdue opens the year on Monday, Nov. 4 against Texas A&M-Corpus Christi. It will be the 20th season under Painter, who has compiled a 447-203 record with five Big Ten regular season titles, two Big Ten Tournament championships and 15 NCAA Tournament appearances.
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