Purdue men’s basketball is not off to the start we were all hoping for but tonight they get another chance to notch that first win of the season. Purdue faces the Illinois State Redbirds out of the Missouri Valley Conference. Way back in 2009 I actually went to a game at their arena. It was pretty nice. My seats weren’t the best but it’s always fun to check out a new arena. The Redbirds came in 1-1 after losing to Saint Mary’s in overtime but taking down Division II Central State.
These early games are all about Purdue and Purdue did not show what they needed to against Valparaiso and it resulted in a loss. Purdue wasn’t hustling, wasn’t staying in front of their man on the perimeter, and certainly wasn’t shooting the ball well from deep. I need to see a lot of improvement tonight. Personally I would prefer a new starting lineup as well with Omer Mayer heading to the bench. I’d rather see Luke Ertel get the nod but Painter seems to be favoring Antione West Jr. in that backup PG spot and despite his poor shooting so far this year I’ll take it.
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Who: Purdue vs. Illinois State
Series: 8-0
When: Monday, November 9, 2026 – 8:30 p.m. EST
Where: West Lafayette, IN – Mackey Arena – Capacity – 14,876
TV: FS1
Purdue Radio: Purdue Global Radio Network (Rob Blackman, Bobby Riddell)
You can check out my preview of the game right here. So let’s prepare to watch the Boilermakers take on the Redbirds and hopefully grab that first win of the season. Make sure to download the SB Nation app which makes reading and commenting easier. That way you can join us in the fan discussion below as Purdue fans dissect everything about this matchup. Boiler Up!
