News Summary
The Purdue men’s basketball team has achieved a significant milestone by being ranked No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time in history. With 35 first-place votes and a total of 1,485 points, Purdue leads ahead of Houston and Florida in the rankings. Head coach Matt Painter emphasizes the goal of maintaining this top position throughout the season. As they prepare for a competitive season ahead, the Boilermakers aim to solidify their status in college basketball.
West Lafayette, Indiana – The Purdue men’s basketball team has achieved a significant milestone by being ranked No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 poll for the first time in the school’s history. The Boilermakers secured 35 of the 61 first-place votes, accumulating a total of 1,485 points in the poll, placing them ahead of the University of Houston, which is ranked No. 2 with 16 first-place votes and 1,459 points.
Florida follows closely at No. 3 with 8 first-place votes, while UConn and St. John’s round out the top five, ranked No. 4 and No. 5, respectively. This new ranking sets a strong foundation for the Boilermakers as they prepare to start the 2025-26 season.
Head coach Matt Painter expressed his enthusiasm regarding the ranking, underscoring that the team’s objective is to hold the top position at the end of the season. Painter highlighted that although this achievement is exciting, there is still much work to be done as the season progresses.
Purdue’s previous best preseason ranking was No. 2 in the 1987-88 season. The team has made considerable strides in recent years, securing the No. 1 ranking in the AP poll for a total of 14 weeks since the 2021-22 season. Prior to the 2021-22 season, Purdue had never held the No. 1 spot in any AP poll.
In the previous NCAA Tournament, the Boilermakers reached the Sweet 16 but succumbed to Houston. As they enter this season, Purdue will benefit from the return of key players, including first-team AP All-American point guard Braden Smith and leading scorer Trey Kaufman-Renn, who averaged 20.1 points per game last season.
The rankings highlight a competitive landscape in college basketball. Duke is positioned at No. 6 in the preseason poll, followed by Michigan at No. 7, BYU at No. 8, Kentucky at No. 9, and Texas Tech at No. 10. Notably, Louisville has climbed to No. 11 after a successful turnaround under coach Pat Kelsey, following two years of disappointing performance.
The reigning national champions, Kansas, find themselves ranked No. 19, marking their lowest preseason ranking since the 2008-09 season. Auburn has been placed at No. 20 following the retirement of coach Bruce Pearl.
The preseason rankings reveal a strong representation from major conferences, with the Southeastern Conference, Big Ten, and Big 12 each having six teams in the rankings, comprising 72% of the poll. Other notable teams receiving votes include NC State, Oregon, and Indiana.
However, being ranked No. 1 in the preseason has posed challenges historically, as many teams have struggled to meet expectations in the NCAA Tournament following such recognition. This season opener for Purdue is scheduled for November 4 against Evansville, marking the beginning of what could be a historic season for the program as they aim to solidify their status among college basketball’s elite.
As the season unfolds, Purdue’s commitment to maintaining their newfound status as the top-ranked team will be tested, particularly as they face a challenging schedule and the pressures of high expectations.
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Additional Resources
- ESPN: Purdue Tops Preseason AP Top 25 Poll
- NCAA: Purdue, Houston, Florida Lead AP Top 25
- CBS Sports: Purdue Earns No. 1 Spot in Preseason Poll
- Purdue Sports: Purdue Tabbed No. 1 in AP Preseason Poll
- Hammer and Rails: Purdue Men’s Basketball Ranked No. 1
- Wikipedia: 2025 NCAA Men’s Basketball Season
- Google Search: Purdue Men’s Basketball Preseason Ranking
- Google Scholar: Purdue Men’s Basketball History
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Purdue University
- Google News: Purdue Men’s Basketball Preseason Ranking
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