How to Watch No. 16 Purdue vs. No. 2 Auburn

No. 16 Purdue will travel to Birmingham to play No. 2 Auburn. A look at the important stats, key players, television and radio information and more.

Purdue Boilermakers forward Camden Heide (23) celebrates / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

No. 16 Purdue travels to Birmingham to play No. 2 Auburn in a Big Ten-SEC showdown on Saturday. The Boilermakers are hoping to bounce back after suffering a loss to Texas A&M last weekend, while the Tigers are looking to build on a three-game winning streak.

Here's how you can tune in to watch Saturday's nonconference matchup.

How to watch No. 16 Purdue vs. No. 2 Auburn

• Who: No. 16 Purdue Boilermakers (8-3, 1-1 in Big Ten) vs. No. 2 Auburn Tigers (10-1, 0-0 in SEC)
• What: Nonconference game
• When: Saturday, Dec. 21at 4:30 p.m. ET
• Where: Legacy Arena at BJCC in Birmingham, Ala. (17,654).
• TV: ESPN
• TV Announcers: TBD
• Radio: Boilermaker Sports Network — WAZY 96.5 FM (Lafayette/West Lafayette); WKJG 100.9 FM (Fort Wayne); WNDE 1260 AM (Indianapolis); WGBF 1280 (Evansville); View all listings: CLICK HERE
• Radio Announcers: Rob Blackmon (play-by-play), Bobby Riddell (analyst), Wes Scott (producer).
• Purdue's 2023-24 season: Purdue finished with an overall record of 34-5, which included a 17-3 mark in Big Ten play. The Boilermakers won the Big Ten regular season championship for a second consecutive season and reached the National Championship Game of the NCAA Tournament.
• Auburn's 2023-24 season: Auburn ended last season with a 27-8 record, which included a 13-5 mark in the SEC. The Tigers finished in a tie for second in the league standings. Auburn then went on to win the SEC Tournament, earning an automatic bid into the NCAA Tournament. The Tigers were defeated in the first round by Yale.
• Purdue coach: Matt Painter, 20th season at Purdue (455-206).
• Auburn coach: Bruce Pearl, 11th season at Auburn (223-120).

Rankings

• Associated Press: Purdue is ranked No. 16; Auburn is ranked No. 2.
• USA Today Coaches: Purdue is ranked No. 17; Auburn is ranked No. 2.
• KenPom: Purdue is ranked No. 22; Auburn is ranked No. 1.
• NET: Purdue is ranked No. 32; Auburn is ranked No. 1.

Auburn Tigers 2024-25 roster

• Key returnees (2024-25 stats): Johni Broome (18.1 ppg, 11.5 rpg, 3.5 apg, 2.7 bpg); Chad Baker-Mazara (13.2 ppg, 3.5 rpg, 39% 3-pt); Denver Jones (10.9 ppg, 2.5 apg, 44% 3-pt); Chaney Johnson (10.6 ppg, 6.0 rpg); Dylan Cardwell (5.6 ppg, 4.1 rpg).

• Key departures (2023-24 stats): Jaylin Williams (12.4 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 39.5% 3-pt); Aden Holloway (7.3 ppg, 2.7 apg); KD Johnson (7.1 ppg,1.1 spg); Tre Donaldson (6.7 ppg, 3.2 apg).

• Key newcomers (2024-25 stats): Tahaad Pettiford (10.7 ppg, 2.7 apg, 43.6% 3-pt); Miles Kelly (10.3 ppg, 2.5 rpg, 43.3% 3-pt); Jahki Howard (8.4 ppg, 2.0 rpg).

Purdue Boilermakers 2024-25 roster

• Key returnees (2024-25 stats): Braden Smith (13.4 ppg, 8.5 apg, 4.9 rpg); Fletcher Loyer (13.5 ppg, 2.0 apg, 50% 3-pt); Trey Kaufman-Renn (18.2 ppg, 6.5 rpg, 2.5 apg); Myles Colvin (7.5 ppg, 3.8 rpg); Cam Heide (7.1 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 46.4% 3-pt).

• Key departures (2023-24 stats): Zach Edey (25.2 ppg, 12.2 rpg); Lance Jones (12.5 ppg); Mason Gillis (6.5 ppg).

• Key Newcomers (2024-25 stats): Gicarri Harris (3.1 ppg, 1.5 rpg); Raleigh Burgess (2.1 ppg, 1.8 rpg); CJ Cox (4.7 ppg, 1.4 rpg); Daniel Jacobsen (injured, out for season).

Meet the coaches

• Bruce Pearl, Auburn: Pearl is in his 11th season at Auburn and 21st season coaching at the Division I level. He got his start as a head coach at Southern Indiana in 1992, spending nine seasons at the helm of the Screaming Eagles, winning a Division II national championship in 1995. Southern Indiana reached the NCAA Tournament in all nine seasons under Pearl. After his time at SIU, Pearl took a job at Milwaukee, where he spent the next four seasons, making two March Madness appearances and winning two Horizon League titles. Pearl then took a head coaching job at Tennessee, where he stayed from 2005-11. The Volunteers won 19 games or more in each of the six seasons Pearl was in charge, reaching the NCAA Tournament every season. In 2014, Pearl was named the coach at Auburn. In his 11 seasons, Pearl has guided the Tigers to five March Madness appearances and a Final Four trip in 2019. Overall, Pearl has compiled more than 680 wins in his career.

• Matt Painter, Purdue: Painter is in his 20th season as the coach of the Boilermakers and is one of the Big Ten's longest-tenured and most successful head coaches. He's led the program to five Big Ten regular season championships, two Big Ten Tournament titles and 15 NCAA Tournament appearances in his first 19 years. Painter is also a five-time Big Ten Coach of the Year. In 2024, Painter led Purdue to its first Final Four appearance since 1980 and first trip to the National Championship Game since 1969. Painter, a Purdue alum, played under legendary coach Gene Keady from 1989-93. He spent one year as the head coach at Southern Illinois (2003-04) before being named associated head coach on Keady's staff in the 2004-05 season.