Matt Painter on Bringing No. 1-Ranked Purdue to Mackey Arena for the First Time: 'We've Earned it'
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — For the first time in program history, Purdue basketball welcomed an opponent to Mackey Arena as the No. 1-ranked team in the country. The Boilermakers have reached the top of the national rankings in consecutive seasons, a feat that hasn't been done by a Big Ten program since 1976.
For now, coach Matt Painter has this year's team sitting at 12-0 overall and 2-0 in conference play following a 74-53 win over New Orleans on Wednesday night. Purdue has once again been thrust into the spotlight, a position it's still getting accustomed to despite relative consistency that dates back to legendary head coach Gene Keady.
"We get slighted at times," Painter said. "We don't get covered like other people, and I love it because I don't like the attention myself. I couldn't care less. But from a program standpoint, it's pretty cool."
Before Painter took over the program in 2005, Keady led Purdue to six Big Ten Championships and 17 NCAA Tournament appearances, with two showings in the Elite Eight across 25 seasons. However, it wasn't until last season under Painter that the Boilermakers would attain being ranked No. 1 for the first time in program history.
"You look at Coach Keady's years, even before that, we've been very consistent through the years," Painter said. "Winning Big Ten championships, competing for Big Ten championships even when we come a little bit short."
During the 2021-22 season, Purdue won its first eight games and ascended to the country's top ranking before losing 70-68 on the road against Rutgers on a half-court shot at the buzzer. The team went on to defeat North Carolina State in overtime 82-72 during the Basketball Hall of Fame invitational before dropping to No. 3.
The Boilermakers finished the season with a 29-8 overall record and a 14-6 mark in the conference, falling short of a Big Ten title during the regular season. The team was also defeated by Iowa 75-66 in the Big Ten Tournament Championship.
In the 2022 NCAA Tournament, Purdue defeated Yale and Texas before losing to Saint Peter's 67-64 in the Sweet 16. During the offseason, the Boilermakers lost three starters and two more significant contributors to the professional ranks or the transfer portal.
However, with its success so far in 2022-23 — headlined by blowout victories over Gonzaga and Duke in the Phil Knight Legacy men's basketball tournament — Purdue is once again ranked as the top team in the nation, etching its name alongside historic teams in the conference's history.
The last time a Big Ten team was ranked No. 1 in back-to-back seasons was Indiana back in 1974-75 and 1975-76 when it spent a total of 28 weeks as the highest-ranked program in the country.
Under the tutelage of head coach Bob Knight, the Hoosiers went 32-0 and 18-0 in Big Ten play during the 1975-76 season, plowing their way through the NCAA Tournament and winning the school's third national championship. As of the 2022 tournament, they remain the last team to be undefeated National Champions.
"That's an amazing stat, and these guys have worked really hard," Painter said. "We've not had any handouts, we've had to work for everything. And I'm just proud of our guys. We lost a lot of talent, and our guys didn't get ranked, no one gave them their just due. But we've earned it, we got to keep it up."
The Boilermakers will return to action on Thursday, Dec. 29, for their final nonconference matchup before jumping back into Big Ten competition. The team is scheduled to tip off against Florida A&M at 4 p.m. ET in Mackey Arena, and the game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
Related Stories on Purdue Basketball
- What Matt Painter Said After Win Over New Orleans: No. 1 Purdue basketball defeated New Orleans on Wednesday night at Mackey Arena to move to 12-0 on the season. Here's the complete transcript of coach Matt Painter's postgame press conference, including video. CLICK HERE
- Kaufman-Renn Shines for Purdue in Win Over New Orleans: Redshirt freshman forward Trey Kaufman-Renn scored a career-high 24 points as Purdue dominated New Orleans on Wednesday night at Mackey Arena. Junior center Zach Edey missed the game due to an illness, but the Boilermakers improved to 12-0 on the season. CLICK HERE
- Purdue, New Orleans Photo Gallery: Purdue basketball defeated New Orleans 74-53 on Wednesday night to improve to 12-0 on the season. Recap the action with our photo gallery from Mackey Arena. CLICK HERE
- Purdue Remains No. 1 in Latest AP Top 25 Poll: After a victory over Davidson in the 2022 Indy Classic on Saturday, Purdue basketball remained No. 1 in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. The Boilermakers are 11-0 overall and 2-0 in Big Ten play so far this season. CLICK HERE
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.