WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — The 2021-22 college basketball season is creeping up and is just over four weeks away. Coach Matt Painter and the Purdue program have nothing short of high expectations for the upcoming year.
CBS Sports insider Matt Norlander went ahead and ranked all 358 Division I basketball programs ahead of the season and capped off his list Thursday with the 68 top teams in the nation.
The Boilermakers nearly topped the list, coming in at No. 2 behind Gonzaga. They’re coming off an 18-10 season last year and return almost all of its minutes, including all five starters.
Painter and the team are looking to make a stronger push in the NCAA Tournament after falling short in the first round a year ago.
Here’s what Norlander had to say about the 2021-22 Purdue squad:
“I decided in mid-August this is where I was going to slot the Boilers. At the time I thought I was going to be on an island and likely higher on Matt Painter’s team than most others in the media. But as we’ve gotten into mid-October it’s clear that the Boilermakers are viewed as top-five caliber by plenty of knowledgeable hacks around the industry. My biggest reason for this is Painter’s undisputed chops as a coach combined with potentially having three of the 30 best players in the country: PF Trevion Williams, PG Jaden Ivey and C Zach Edey, the latter two having flourished in U19 competition over the summer and boosted their stock immensely.
Forward Sasha Stefanovic and combo guard Eric Hunter also return, giving Purdue as much all-around dependability as any team in men’s college basketball. Painter’s had some nice teams over the years that never broke through to the Final Four. I doubt Purdue reaches No. 2 the preseason AP Top 25, but if it winds up in the top five it will mark just the fourth time it’s been that high heading into a season (1970: No. 3; 1987: No. 4; 1988: No. 2). Get ready for a powerhouse to emerge in West Lafayette, Indiana.”
Stories Related to Purdue Basketball
- SASHA STEFANOVIC JOINS THE SITE FOR WEEKLY PODCAST: Thanks to new NCAA legislation where college athletes can make money off of their name, image and likeness, Purdue guard Sasha Stefanovic has signed a deal to do a weekly 30-minute podcast here on our Sports Illustrated Purdue site, BoilermakersCountry.com. It will start the first week of November and run throughout the college basketball season. CLICK HERE
- PURDUE EXCITED FOR FANS ACROSS THE BIG TEN: Purdue will play 20 games against Big Ten opponents during the 2021-22 college basketball season. The team is excited to hear fans back inside Mackey Arena and other venues across the conference. CLICK HERE
- WHAT KATIE GEARLDS SAID AT BIG TEN MEDIA DAYS: Purdue women’s basketball coach Katie Gearlds answered questions during the 2021 Big Ten Basketball Media Days on Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Here’s everything she had to say before one-on-one interviews. CLICK HERE
- MICAH SHREWSBERRY LOOKS FORWARD TO MATCHUP WITH PURDUE: Penn State coach Micah Shrewsberry was back home in Indianapolis on Friday during the 2021 Big Ten Basketball Media Days. The former Purdue associate head coach will lead the Nittany Lions against the Boilermakers on Jan. 8. CLICK HERE
- WHAT MATT PAINTER SAID DURING BIG TEN BASKETBALL MEDIA DAYS: Purdue coach Matt Painter answered questions during the 2021 Big Ten Basketball Media Days on Friday at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Here’s everything he had to say before one-on-one interviews. CLICK HERE
- SACRIFICES WILL HAVE TO BE MADE FOR PURDUE’S SUCCESS: Purdue basketball’s 2020-21 season ended abruptly in a first-round loss to North Texas in the NCAA Tournament. The program returns several of its players from a year ago, and coach Matt Painter will have to manage a talented roster throughout the season. CLICK HERE
- PURDUE BASKETBALL FAN DAY DETAILS: The Purdue men’s and women’s basketball teams will have their yearly Fan Day on Oct. 16 at Mackey Arena. The event will feature autograph signings, practice and a scrimmage. CLICK HERE
- PURDUE 2021-22 TIPOFF TIMES ANNOUNCED: The Big Ten Conference released several tipoff times and television designations ahead of Purdue’s 2021-22 basketball season. Here is the complete Purdue Boilermakers basketball schedule. CLICK HERE
- MATT PAINTER SPEAKS AFTER FIRST OFFICIAL PRACTICE: Purdue coach Matt Painter discussed injuries, lineups and the freshman class after the team’s first official practice Tuesday. CLICK HERE
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