Purdue has announced that it will head to Lexington for an exhibition game vs. Kentucky in October. Both teams are expected to be ranked in the top-15.
Purdue is set to visit a legendary basketball venue to face one of the sport’s traditional powerhouses during the 2025–26 season. On Friday, the Boilermakers announced they will travel to Lexington to take on Kentucky in an exhibition game at Rupp Arena.
The game is scheduled for Friday, October 24. Details regarding tickets, television coverage, and tipoff time will be announced later.
This continues a recent trend for Purdue, which has scheduled exhibition games against elite programs over the past two seasons. Prior to the 2023–24 season, the team visited Arkansas in Fayetteville, and last year, they played Creighton in Omaha under head coach Matt Painter.
Both Purdue and Kentucky are projected to be among the top teams heading into the 2025–26 season. In ESPN’s way-too-early top 25 rankings, the Boilermakers sit at No. 1, while the Wildcats come in at No. 10.
The two programs had comparable 2024–25 seasons, each finishing with a 24–12 record and advancing to the Sweet 16 in the NCAA Tournament. Kentucky was eliminated by Tennessee at Lucas Oil Stadium in the Midwest Regional, while Purdue fell to Houston in the same regional.
This exhibition will mark the first meeting between the programs since 1997. Kentucky holds a 6–2 advantage in the all-time series against Purdue.
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