Kentucky Coach Mark Pope Talks Excitement About Exhibition Game vs. Purdue
Kentucky coach Mark Pope recently shared his excitement about his team’s upcoming exhibition game against Purdue in October, praising Matt Painter as one of the top coaches in college basketball.
Pope and Painter share a similar approach when it comes to scheduling tough opponents, both emphasizing the importance of challenging their teams to prepare for the NCAA Tournament. This shared philosophy led to the decision to schedule an exhibition game between Kentucky and Purdue before the 2025-26 season.
On October 24, Purdue will travel to Lexington for the matchup at Rupp Arena. It promises to be an exciting preseason contest featuring two teams expected to be ranked in the top-10 to start the season.
When asked about the decision to schedule the game, Pope expressed his eagerness, despite the game being months away.
“This is what I know,” Pope said in a video posted by Kentucky Sports Radio. “This might sound uncalculated, but I love playing great teams. I think it’s really important. Anytime there’s an opportunity to bring great teams into Rupp, we’re going to take it. Whether it’s in the exhibition, preseason, or conference season, we’re all in.”
Purdue’s tradition of playing top-tier teams on the road in exhibition games is well established. In the past three seasons, the Boilermakers have faced Power Five teams in exhibition contests, including trips to Arkansas in 2023 and Creighton in 2024.
In ESPN’s early rankings for the 2025-26 season, Purdue is projected to be the No. 1 team, while Kentucky comes in at No. 10. Pope is thrilled that fans in Lexington will get to see such a high-caliber game in October.
“I’m just excited for Big Blue Nation that we get to play the No. 1 team in the country in late October,” Pope said. “I’m really excited about it for our fan base. We’re also working on another exhibition game that’s going to be terrific. I’m excited about that, too. I’m excited for college basketball, and I’m excited for our guys because playing great teams teaches you a lot about yourself.”
Pope also spoke highly of Painter, acknowledging the incredible success he’s had building Purdue into one of the nation’s premier programs. The Boilermakers have won back-to-back Big Ten titles in 2023 and 2024 and reached the National Championship Game in 2024.
With the return of key players like Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Fletcher Loyer, along with strong additions from the transfer portal and recruiting, many consider Purdue a favorite for the national title in 2026.
“Matt Painter is — I don’t know if he’s the best coach in college basketball, but he’s definitely one of the top couple. What he’s done at Purdue is incredible,” Pope said. “I have so much respect for him, and he makes life tough for teams because his style of play and coaching are so unique. It’s going to be a fun challenge.”
Both Purdue and Kentucky finished last season with 24-12 records and reached the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament, setting the stage for a highly anticipated matchup in October, even if the outcome doesn’t count in the regular season standings.
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