How to Watch No. 8 Purdue vs. Penn State in First Big Ten Game

Purdue and Penn State will begin their Big Ten season on Thursday in State College, Pa. Here are stats, television and radio information and plenty more.

Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) during the game against the Marquette Golden Eagles / Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

It's time to get Big Ten play underway. We've reached the portion of the schedule where a handful of conference games will be played, providing us with an appetizer to the rest of the college basketball season. On Thursday night, No. 8 Purdue will play Penn State in the first conference clash for both teams.

Purdue is coming off a Feast Week championship, defeating North Carolina State and Ole Miss in the Rady Children's Invitational. Penn State played in the Sunshine Slam, defeating Fordham but falling to Clemson.

Here's everything you need to know about Thursday's clash between Purdue and Penn State.

How to watch No. 8 Purdue vs. Penn State

• Who: No. 8 Purdue Boilermakers (7-1, 0-0 in Big Ten) vs. Penn State Nittany Lions (7-1, 0-0 in Big Ten)
• What: Big Ten Conference game
• When: Thursday, Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. ET
• Where: Bryce Jordan Center in State College, Pa. (15,261).
• TV: Fox Sports 1
• TV Announcers: Jeff Levering (play-by-play), Laphonso Ellis (analyst).
• 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.
• Penn State's 2023-24 season: Penn State finished last season with a 16-17 record, which included a 9-11 mark in Big Ten play. The Nittany Lions earned the No. 11 seed in the Big Ten Tournament and defeated Michigan in the first round before falling to Indiana in the following round.
• Purdue coach: Matt Painter, 20th season at Purdue (454-204).
• Penn State coach: Mike Rhoades, 2nd season at Penn State (23-18).
• Series record: Purdue leads the all-time series vs. Penn State 47-13.

Rankings

• Associated Press: Purdue is ranked No. 8; Penn State is not ranked.
• USA Today Coaches: Purdue is ranked No. 7; Penn State is not ranked.
• KenPom: Purdue is ranked No. 13; Penn State is ranked No. 36.
• NET: Purdue is ranked No. 18; Penn State is ranked No. 32.

Penn State Nittany Lions 2024-25 roster

• Key returnees (2024-25 stats): Ace Baldwin Jr. (14.9 ppg, 8.4 apg, 2.4 spg); Zach Hicks (13.4 ppg, 4.6 rpg, 2.3 apg); Nick Kern Jr. (11.8 ppg, 4.5 rpg, 2.5 apg); Puff Johnson (10.3 ppg, 4.0 rpg); D'Marco Dunn (6.5 ppg, 2.0 rpg).

• Key departures (2023-24 stats): Kanye Clary (16.7 ppg, 2.9 rpg, 2.8 apg); Qudus Wahab (9.8 ppg, 7.8 rpg, 1.5 bpg); Jameel Brown (4.0 ppg).

• Key newcomers (2024-25 stats): Yanic Konan Niederhauser (14.3 ppg, 6.5 rpg,1.9 bpg); Freddie Dilione V (9.1 ppg, 3.3 rpg, 1.1 spg); Kachi Nzeh (4.8 ppg, 3.0 rpg).

Purdue Boilermakers 2024-25 roster

• Key returnees (2024-25 stats): Braden Smith (12.8 ppg, 9.1 apg, 5.1 rpg); Flether Loyer (13.8 ppg, 2.0 apg, 58.6% 3-point); Trey Kaufman-Renn (19.1 ppg, 7.1 rpg); Myles Colvin (7.9 ppg, 4.0 rpg); Cam Heide (6.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 55% 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 (3.6 ppg, 1.9 rpg); Raleigh Burgess (2.1 ppg, 1.9 rpg); CJ Cox (3.8 ppg, 1.5 rpg); Daniel Jacobsen (injured, likely out for season).

Meet the coaches

• Mike Rhoades, Penn State: Mike Rhoades is in his second season at Penn State, climbing his way up from the Division III ranks to coach in the Big Ten. He got his first start in coaching in 1999, taking over at Randolph-Macon (Va.), where he coached until the 2009 season. He posted a record of 197-76 and led the program to four Division III NCAA Tournament appearances. Rhoades was then named the Associated head coach at VCU in 2009 and served in the role until 2014. He had his first Division I job at Rice (2014-17), posting a 47-52 record with the Owls. Rhoades then returned to VCU, this time as the head coach in 2017, where he spent the next six seasons. With the Rams, Rhoades had a 129-61 record, making three NCAA Tournament trips and one NIT appearance.

• 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.