Purdue is wasting no time getting acquainted with life after Braden Smith.
Matt Painter’s team opens a new chapter Nov. 2 in Las Vegas, where the Boilermakers will face No. 15 Gonzaga in the Hall of Fame Series. It’s a sharp early test for a roster that looks different, feels different and still has plenty to sort out after the departure of a core of stars that included the 2025 Big Ten Player of the Year.
Purdue’s most established returning piece is C.J. Cox, who averaged 8.5 points per game and started 39 times last season.
Omer Mayer and Daniel Jacobsen, who each put up 5.5 points per game off the bench a year ago, are projected to move into full-time starting roles. The Boilermakers also added former Princeton wing Caden Pierce, who posted a career-best 16.6 points per game in 2023-24 and won Ivy League Player of the Year honors.
Gicarri Harris joined those four as a starter in last week’s scrimmage against Ball State, but Painter made it clear the first five could keep shifting.
"You kind of see with our team, there's not a lot of separation," Painter said. "Most of the time when you sub, there's big separation on teams.
There's just not (with us). There's a reason why guys start.
Maybe they've played better, they're a little bit older ... I thought we had nine guys that deserve to start."
Even with the turnover, Purdue still checked in at No. 6 in the Big Ten preseason media poll. The Boilermakers also arrive off a strong finish to last season, when they beat eventual NCAA champion Michigan 80-72 to win the Big Ten tournament and then made an Elite Eight run before falling to Arizona.
Gonzaga is in transition too, and its opener doubles as its first regular-season game as a member of the revamped Pac-12 Conference. Mark Few’s group said goodbye to the West Coast Conference in style, collecting its 12th conference tournament title in 14 seasons, before the Bulldogs were knocked out by No. 11 seed Texas in the Round of 32.
Braden Huff is the key returner for Gonzaga after averaging 17.8 points and 5.6 rebounds per game last season. Much of the roster refresh came through the transfer portal, with Xaivian Lee arriving from Florida, Chauncey Wiggins from Florida State and Massamba Diop from Arizona State.
The Bulldogs also added Izan Almansa from Real Madrid, and he flashed quickly in Saturday’s exhibition loss to Arkansas. Almansa scored 14 points on 6-of-9 shooting one day after being cleared to play.
"I think he's a dude who's pretty quiet, but you can see the excitement on his face when he got the news," Few said of Almansa. "We were all super excited for him.
I mean, that's a big gift for us. He was huge (against Arkansas), and I expect that from him all season.
For him to be eligible is great, it's going to be really good for us."
In Other News...
Trey Kaufman-Renn Already Faces Early Questions In His Next Chapter
Trey Kaufman-Renns next chapter has already taken on an uneasy feel, with Kansas coach Bill Self saying he is planning to have the former Boilermaker available for the season opener but stopping short of guaranteeing it. The uncertainty comes after Kaufman-Renn turned his ankle in practice and missed both exhibition games, a setback that has left his early status tied as much to readiness as to recovery.
There is also a broader cloud hanging over his eligibility, with his case still under review after legal action tied to NCAA rules. For Purdue fans who watched his rise and now see him trying to settle into a new situation, the wait is about more than one game. It is about whether his transition can begin on schedule at all. [Read more 🡒]
Purdue's Exhibition Stretch Left One Big Question About This Team
Purdue used its preseason exhibitions the way Matt Painter tends to use them, as a lab for lineups and style as much as a tune-up for the regular season. The Boilermakers spent that stretch testing combinations and tweaking strategy, and a few trends began to emerge, including a more perimeter-oriented attack than last year. C.J. Cox was the steadiest scorer across the two games, while Daniel Jacobsen showed signs of taking a real step forward on the defensive end.
Painter also seems to have a clearer read now on what the opening-night rotation will look like, even if the final details are still tucked away for the season to reveal. Purdues exhibition work suggests a lineup built around balance and shooting, with the frontcourt and backcourt pieces settling into place as the calendar flips to the games that count. The bigger question is whether that new look can hold up once the competition stops feeling like a rehearsal. [Read more 🡒]
Purdue Gets An Encouraging Kenna Wollard Health Update
Kenna Wollards return to Purdues orbit has been a welcome sight for the Boilermakers after a difficult stretch for one of their own. The volleyball player has been away from the team while focusing on her health, but she has recently been spending more time around her teammates and even traveling with the group, a small but meaningful sign after a fall that tested everyone around the program.
Dave Shondell and Purdue players have been open about their support for Wollard throughout the process, and that remains the backdrop to every update surrounding her. Her presence around the team matters beyond volleyball, because the Boilermakers have spent the season keeping close tabs on a teammate whose fight has become part of their shared story. [Read more 🡒]