purdue basketball overseas trip 2023

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How To Watch Purdue Men’s Basketball European Vacation

Purdue announced the streaming partner for the upcoming European trip.

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In case you had forgotten because you’ve got other things going on in your life, do people have other things going on in their lives(?), Purdue is headed to Europe this month. They head out to see the old world next week after playing in a scrimmage on Saturday that’s open to the public. Jed will be in attendance there and will share some of what he sees and hears here on the site. Stay tuned for that.

This is all part of a long planned trip to get the team in fighting shape. Unfortunately, or fortunately if you’re an optimist, Zach Edey will not be taking part. He’s got commitments to Team Canada to uphold. That’s unfortunate because we won’t get to see the entire team in action for the first time. So there will be no idea of how Edey meshes with Lance Jones or Myles Colvin. However, it’s also good because it gives guys like Caleb Furst and TKR the ability to stretch their legs a bit and get a feel for this new team. These two guys could play huge roles in the season ahead so allowing them some run without Edey could pay huge dividends down the road.

Now, for the matter at hand. There have been numerous questions about how and where to watch these games. Well, it was finally announced this week along with another look at the schedule. Take a look!

Our games in Europe will be streamed online via @FloHoops . Details for game one on Aug. 9, can be found here: : https://t.co/EJwHsm0wqB pic.twitter.com/nvDERuCTiD — Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) July 31, 2023

I’ll be the first to admit I had no idea what Flo Sports was until this tweet came out yesterday. So, if you want to watch Purdue it’s going to cost you $29.99 for the month. It’s a bit steep but it should give you a nice Purdue men’s basketball fix and honestly isn’t that worth any price at this time of the year? Keep in mind I can’t speak to the quality of the stream or the ability for them to handle a large uptick in streams. Purchase with that in mind!

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Purdue Men’s Basketball: Headed to Europe for a Passionate Roadtrip

Key points:

• Purdue Men's Basketball is heading to Europe for a long-planned trip to get the team in fighting shape
• Zach Edey will not be participating as he has commitments to Team Canada
• Fans can watch the games through Flo Sports with a monthly subscription of $29.99

The Purdue Men’s Basketball team is embarking on a European vacation, and fans are eager to know how they can watch the games. The team’s streaming partner has finally been announced, with Flo Sports offering a subscription for $29.99 per month. While some fans may find it pricey, the opportunity to watch their favorite team play during the offseason is considered well worth it. However, the quality of the stream and its ability to handle a large number of viewers remain unclear. Nonetheless, fans are excited to see how the new team performs without Zach Edey.

The summary of the linked article was generated with the assistance of artificial intelligence technology from OpenAI

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How To Watch Purdue Men’s Basketball European Vacation

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Purdue Women's Basketball Heading to Europe for International Tour in August

• Author: Dustin Schutte

The Purdue women's basketball team will be heading overseas this August for an international tour. The program announced the plans on Thursday.

According to the release, the Boilermakers will travel to Spain and Portugal, making stops in Barcelona, Porto and Lisbon from Aug. 5-15. Purdue coach Katie Geralds played professional basketball in both countries.

"The Boilermakers will depart for Europe on Aug. 5 on a flight from Chicago to Barcelona," the statement said . "Purdue will visit Barcelona (Aug. 6-10), Porto (Aug. 10-12) and Lisbon (Aug. 12-15).

"The Boilermakers will play three games with opponents and dates to be announced later."

Purdue finished the 2023-24 college basketball season with a 15-19 record. The Boilermakers participated in the WNIT, reaching the Great 8 before falling to Vermont.

Geralds, a Purdue alum, completed her third season as the coach of the Boilermakers. In her first two seasons, she led the team to winning records, finishing 17-15 in 2021-22 and going 19-11 in 2022-23. Purdue has played in the postseason in each of Geralds' three seasons — twice in the WNIT and once in the NCAA Tournament.

In three seasons with the Boilermakers, Geralds owns a 51-45 record.

Related stories on Purdue basketball

• LANCE JONES SENDS MESSAGE TO PURDUE FANS:  After helping lead Purdue to the national championship game this season, graduate transfer Lance Jones had a special message for Boilermaker fans.  CLICK HERE
• ETHAN MORTON ENTERS TRANSFER PORTAL:  Purdue senior Ethan Morton has entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal. The 6-foot-7 wing spent four years with the Boilermakers and has one year of eligibility remaining as a graduate transfer.  CLICK HERE
• MASON GILLIS ENTERS TRANSFER PORTAL : Purdue senior and Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year Mason Gillis has entered his name into the NCAA transfer portal. He will have one year of eligibility remaining as a graduate transfer.  CLICK HERE

Where Purdue basketball stands in way-too-early 2024-25 rankings

Purdue basketball will join everyone else in college basketball next season. The Boilermakers will undergo significant roster change, and not only because two-time national player of the year Zach Edey has departed.

Purdue is slated to have six new faces (Jack Benter, Raleigh Burgess, Kanon Catchings, C.J. Cox, Gicarri Harris, Daniel Jacobsen) joining potential key returners in Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Mason Gillis, Cam Heide, Myles Colvin, Ethan Morton and Caleb Furst.

Is another Final Four possible? Looking way ahead, it appears that might be a bit much to ask. But a Sweet 16 trip seems reasonable.

Start the day smarter. Get all the news you need in your inbox each morning.

Jeff Borzello, ESPN : 6th

The post-Zach Edey era in West Lafayette has officially begun, but don't expect Matt Painter's team to fall too far in the national discussion. The Boilermakers will still bring back one of the best backcourts in the country in Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer, and Trey Kaufman-Renn is ready for a bigger role in the frontcourt. The questions will be whether Smith and Loyer can take the jump from complementary players to go-to guys, and which reserve or freshman breaks out. A good bet would be Camden Heide.

John Fanta, Fox Sports : 9th

The Boilermakers will be saying goodbye to an all-time college great and two-time national player of the year in Zach Edey, but when you have the level of talent and experience they have coming back, you're going to have it a lot better than many other rosters throughout the country. Braden Smith is an All-American, Fletcher Loyer is only going to keep getting better, Mason Gillis will return, Camden Heide is a breakout candidate, and Matt Painter ushers in a top-15 recruiting class. The Boilers will keep on steaming ahead.

Sam Vecenie and CJ Moore, The Athletic : 12th

Purdue loses Zach Edey and Lance Jones but returns every other relevant piece, and it will now be time for Kaufman-Renn to become the featured low-post scorer. The Boilermakers got a preview of that last summer when Edey was off with Team Canada and Kaufman-Renn led the Boilers in scoring during a foreign tour. Smith is already one of the best point guards in college hoops and could elevate himself to All-America status when he takes on more of a scoring role. It’s rare to have so much experience and production returning. It’s going to be difficult to replace Edey, but Matt Painter has two giants lined up to possibly be next. Berg, a 7-2 freshman this season, shot 75 percent from the field in limited minutes, and Painter signed a 7-foot-3 center in Jacobsen. He’s got a type!

USA TODAY : 9th

It will be hard to imagine the Boilermakers without Zach Edey in the middle. The returners next season will be familiar, though. Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith will be back for their third years as starters. Mason Gillis – the team’s top 3-point percentage shooter – could stay and join returners Trey Kaufman-Renn, Myles Colvin and Camden Heide poised for bigger roles. Kanon Catchings leads recruiting class big on quality and quantity.

Ryan Young, Yahoo : 2nd

Zach Edey is off to the NBA, but Matt Painter won’t have to adjust much with freshman Will Berg, his 7-foot-2 Swedish center. Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith will be back, too, so Purdue should be right back at the top of the expanded Big Ten next season. It might finally be time for the conference drought to end.

Mike DeCourcy, Sporting News : 9th

This will be a different team without Zach Edey, but it won’t be a lot smaller. Freshman Will Berg is 7-2 and skilled and should allow the Boilers to move forward without having to make significant adjustments to their approach. He won’t be a two-time college player of the year, but, if the plan holds, he’ll allow Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, Myles Colvin and Cam Heide to develop as players without having to significantly adjust their approaches.

Kevin Sweeney, Sports Illustrated : 8th

The end of the Zach Edey era in West Lafayette will take some getting used to, but that shouldn’t bring an end to Purdue as a national contender. Braden Smith is an easy projection as one of the nation’s best floor generals after a massive season in 2023–24, and Purdue has quietly stockpiled athletic, versatile wings with the likes of Cam Heide, Kanon Catchings, Myles Colvin and Mason Gillis. Don’t expect a big drop-off from the Boilermakers.

Isaac Trotter, 247Sports : 12th

Matt Painter might not have Zach Edey, but the Boilers aren't going anywhere. Braden Smith will be the best point guard in the Big Ten next year until proven otherwise. Fletcher Loyer can take another jump. Painter believes Trey Kaufman-Renn has a shot to be a flat-out star, and Purdue has three young wings (Camden Heide, Myles Colvin and Kanon Catchings) who each have a chance to be really, really good.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Where Purdue basketball stands in way-too-early 2024-25 rankings

Purdue basketball goes from first-round flop to NCAA Final Four with win over Tennessee

DETROIT — From first-round flop to Final Four.

Behind a career game from National Player of the Year Zach Edey , Purdue basketball is in the Final Four for the first time in 44 years.

Edey and Tennesse's Dalton Knecht, perhaps the top two players in the country all season, put on a show for their respective teams.

It was Edey and the Boilermakers who won out over the Volunteers, 72-66 , sending Purdue to its first Final Four since 1980.

Tennessee's 15-2 run began with Dalton Knecht on the bench and ended with him hitting consecutive 3s.

The Boilermakers then went on a run of their own, ending the half leading 36-34 after a 15-2 response.

The projected backlot brawl was as advertised from there.

Purdue was on the cusp of getting separation midway through the second half, building a 54-46 lead, but the Boilermakers left the door open. That opening was what the Volunteers needed, striking back with 3s from Knecht and Jordan Gainey.

More: Game recap: Purdue basketball earns first Final Four berth since 1980 by beating Tennessee

It was over when

Knecht drove to the basket with Tennessee trailing 69-64. Zach Edey blocked Knecht's layup attempt.

Fletcher Loyer was fouled after Mason Gillis grabbed the rebound. With 21.9 seconds left, Loyer sank both shots and Purdue led by seven.

Zach Edey watch

It was the big fella or bust for Purdue. The Boilermakers were going to ride or die with their All-American center.

Edey poured in a career-high 40 points and added 16 rebounds.

More: Zach Edey is staying on the court: 'It's amazing someone of that size can play that long.'

▶ Braden Smith, Purdue: The Boilers struggled shooting from the outside. Smith made Purdue's only 3 of the first half, but it was his rebounding and ability to get to the basket. Smith totaled 9 points, 7 assists and 7 rebounds.

▶ Fletcher Loyer, Purdue: The Boilermakers had to have someone step up in the scoring column aside from Edey and Smith. Enter Loyer, who scored 27 in the first meeting against Tennessee. Loyer finished with 14 points and on a cool night shooting for Purdue, hit an early second-half 3 that electrified the crowd.

▶ Dalton Knecht, Tennessee: The All-American sharpshooter averages 21.2 points and by halftime, he already had 18. Knecht finished with 37.

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at [email protected] and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.

Commemorative book: Purdue basketball's march to the 2024 NCAA Final Four

LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue basketball just completed an incredible run the 2024 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament national championship game, its first since 1969.

Along the way the Boilermakers advanced to their first March Madness Final Four since 1980 and center Zach Edey became the first back-to-back National Player of the Year since 1983.

You can continue to revel in this historic Boilermaker season with an exclusive 160-page, commemorative hardbound book filled with stories, analysis and photos from the USA Today Network's IndyStar and Lafayette Journal & Courier.  

More: NCAA title or bust season for Purdue basketball takes Boilermaker program to new heights

More: 'We changed a lot of lives.' Purdue Final Four run made history, raised standard.

Here is how you can purchase: 

IndyStar and Lafayette Journal & Courier commemorative book: 'History Makers: Purdue's Epic March to the 2024 NCAA Final Four' 

For a deeper look into Purdue’s remarkable season leading up to and through the Final Four in Arizona, “History 'Makers: Purdue’s Epic March to the 2024 NCAA National Title Game,” is available for preorder now at a discounted cost of $31.95 

Product description: Commemorate Purdue’s historic 2023-24 season with this hardcover coffee table book. Relive the season’s thrilling, poignant moments with vivid photos, exclusive stories and insightful commentary from IndyStar and Lafayette J&C sportswriters and photographers. A must-have, lifetime keepsake for every Purdue Boilermaker fan. 

This collector’s book includes in-depth coverage of the regular-season, the Boilers’ march to consecutive regular-season Big Ten championships and Zach Edey’s epic run to becoming the first back-to-back National Player Year recipient since 1983. 

This is the ultimate collection of stories and images from a Purdue basketball season that will live forever in Boilermaker lore. Order today to save 25% and own a piece of history. 

>> PURCHASE HERE (link)  

Purdue in one of toughest Maui Invitational fields ever: 'This is going to be difficult.'

• Purdue vs. Gonzaga, 5 p.m., Monday; ESPN2

HONOLULU — Matt Painter began his Hawaiian trip with a win — and a potential new recruiting find for Boilermakers women’s basketball coach Katie Gearlds.

Painter paired up with local third-grader Jordyn Koike to win the annual coaches’ charity free throw shooting contest Sunday morning at the Hawaii Convention Center. Between them, Painter and his young partner sank five of six free throws, leaving him impressed with her performance.

“Let’s get her on the phone and get her a Boilermaker scholarship,” Painter said with a smile. “You’ll always take someone who can make free throws.”

'It's one you grow up watching': Purdue ready for Maui Invitational

Painter’s got plenty of players who can do that — and a lot more —  on his roster. But as the No. 2 Boilers prepare to open the 2023 Maui Invitational on Oahu against 12th-ranked Gonzaga on Monday, they know the same is true of everyone who’s come out to the islands this year.

 “We’re all very competitive and everybody here wants to go 3-0,” Painter said. “But only one team is going to do so. There’s going to be a lot of really good teams that are going to go 2-1 or even 1-2, and that’s part of it. We’ve played in some high-level MTEs in past years, and we’ve been fortunate enough to win them. But this is going to be difficult.”

Painter’s not exaggerating on either side of that statement. Half the teams at this year’s Maui are ranked in the top 10, with Gonzaga likely to join that group when the new rankings come out Monday. Beyond that, Syracuse has never lost in the Maui and UCLA has made three consecutive Sweet 16s, which has some calling this the most loaded field in the event’s 40-year history.

“We made this commitment four years ago, but I don’t know if we would do it today,” joked Rick Barnes of Tennessee, which could be Purdue’s Tuesday opponent. “This field is incredible when you think about the programs up here with outstanding coaches that know what they’re doing. We’ll all come out better basketball teams because of what we’ll find out about our basketball teams.”

Few have been better at learning and executing early lessons than Painter and Purdue. The Boilers play in a multi-team event every season, and they’ve played for the tournament championship seven times in the past eight seasons.

Part of that can be attributed to Painter’s refusal to focus on anything but his team’s first game and let the other two games take care of themselves. With less than 24 hours between games, the Boilers don’t have time to put together a full scouting report on the other teams anyway, so Painter is determined to focus squarely on the Bulldogs and let his assistants learn about the other opponents.

“It’s about playing Gonzaga, really,” he said. “If you sit there and try to figure things out past your first game, you’re a fool. I’m just worried about Gonzaga, and if we’re fortunate enough to win, we’ll move to our next game and go from there.

“They’re always so good offensively. If you look at their efficiency, they’re always at the top of the country and they have a great balance. They’re very unique in terms of having an experienced frontline where of the two guys that start with them, one guy (Anton Watson) is an inside-out type and the other is more of a low post guy (Graham Ike), but made a 3 his last game and averaged 20 at his previous school. Then the guys they bring in can really shoot 3s.”

Of course, the Boilers bring their own answer in the frontcourt in Zach Edey. Last year, the Bulldogs proved no match for the senior, who led Purdue with 23 points and seven rebounds in 31 minutes. But unlike last year’s matchup, Purdue now has experience playing without Edey if necessary.

During his Sunday news conference, Painter touched on the team’s international trip, which forced Purdue’s other returning starters to learn how to play without Edey while he was with the Canadian national team. The Boilers certainly won’t stop looking for him when he’s on the floor, but if Gonzaga or another team forces them to go to Plan B in Honolulu, that won’t bother them.

“When he’s in the game, you run a lot of stuff for him; you’re obviously going to get the ball to your best player whenever possible,” Painter said. “The backhanded result is (other guys) don’t get as many opportunities, but that depends on how people handle Zach. If you’re going to double team him, then other guys will get more opportunities.

“That just allowed other people to get into more scoring opportunities. The defense doesn’t change, your effort doesn’t change and the rebounding doesn’t change, but your offensive output does change.”

Five Things To Know About Purdue Basketball Heading Into Its Foreign Tour

Purdue men’s basketball wishes things went a bit differently. the boilermakers had it all a season ago but came up short. they're looking to change that..

Purdue men’s basketball wishes things went just a bit differently.

The Boilermakers had it all a season ago. 

Between the consensus best player in the nation, multiple weeks as the No. 1 team in the Associated Press Top 25 Poll and a top seed in the NCAA Tournament, Purdue looked primed to finally end decades of misfortune and near misses and finally bring a national championship back to the hoops-crazy city of West Lafayette, Indiana.

2023 KICKZ IBAM vs Purdue - Game #1

But the hardwood can be cruel and unforgiving sometimes, and as coach Matt Painter and his program learned the hard way in the first round of March Madness a few months ago, nothing is ever guaranteed or given to you.

On the bright side, setbacks and letdowns, even those to the level of which Purdue endured when it had a dubious exit from the NCAA tourney, can be fantastic motivators and sparks to something greater. 

And, judging by the sheer amount of talent expected back for the Boilers next season – including the reigning national player of the year – it sure doesn’t seem as if those who had eligibility remaining were satisfied with the way this past season went.

The defending kings of the mighty Big Ten Conference are here to defend their throne as likely favorites. Can it finally translate to a long-awaited crowning ceremony at the Final Four in Phoenix, too?

Here are five things to know about Purdue men’s basketball heading into a tour to Europe to face four opponents later this month, with all games on the trip being streamed live on FloHoops.

The Big Man Is Back

If you watched any college basketball at all during the 2022-2023 season, it was near-impossible to miss Zach Edey. That’s both due to his towering size at 7-foot-4 and due to the fact he’s coming off one of the most spectacular seasons from a center in college basketball history. He averaged 22.3 points, 12.9 rebounds, 2.1 blocks and 1.5 assists per game en route to winning every national player-of-the-year award there was to win. 

The Boilers were ranked at the top of the Associated Press Top 25 Poll for seven weeks a season ago, largely off of the back of their superstar big man, securing a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament in the process – though how that turned out is another story. 

Roster is set for next season. 📰: https://t.co/7N66tXh6aW pic.twitter.com/SXGJqC98sP — Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) June 1, 2023

After Purdue’s season ended, Edey declared for the draft process and was expected to be selected in the NBA Draft this summer. Instead, he withdrew his name prior to the eligibility deadline to make a shock return to West Lafayette with plenty of unfinished business. 

No player has won back-to-back Naismith Player of the Year awards since another similarly-tall and imposing center, Ralph Sampson, won three in a row from 1981-1983, but a repeat seriously is in the cards this year for Edey, as much of a motivated core is back with him, ready to try and get Purdue to the mountaintop.

Lots Of Familiar Faces

You don’t win both the Big Ten Conference’s regular-season and tournament titles with just one guy (yes, even if that guy is the best player in America), and though Purdue indeed leaned on Edey heavily during his awesome 2022-2023 season, he can’t do it all. Thus, it makes it all the more important that Edey’s return will be combined with much of his supporting cast back with him – 83.8% of the Boilers’ total minutes from this past season are back, per barttorvik.com.  

2023 BG HESSING LEITERSHOFEN vs Purdue - #2

Among the crop is a lot of high-level talent born and bred in the basketball-mad Hoosier State.

The list includes Fletcher Loyer (from Fort Wayne), who had a great freshman season with a lot of promise in the backcourt, earning All-Big Ten honorable mention after being Purdue’s second-leading scorer (11 points per game). He was the most reliable option to turn to for a bucket when defenses honed in on Edey or the All-American was saddled with foul trouble and forced to sit. 

And with defense such a big part of Painter’s identity – Purdue allowed just 62.7 points per game this past season – having built-in chemistry and ideas of the type of system and tendencies he demands across the roster should make the Boilers a fierce foe to score on once again.

Who Steps Up In The Backcourt?

Though Edey was an animal on the low block and certainly handled the demands asked of him a year ago, Purdue’s sheer reliance on him also had the detriment of meaning the Boilers sometimes got too one-dimensional. Edey had a usage percentage of 32.8%, the second-highest mark in the Big Ten and a top-10 mark nationally. 

That would turn into a major issue if Edey, who admittedly was skilled at avoiding foul trouble at just 1.6 whistles per game called on him in during the 2022-2023 campaign, had to ride the pine for a stint or if opposing defenses did something to get him off-kilter, such as by double- or even triple-teaming him on the interior and/or on box outs. 

Thus, with extra tape from this past season to study about Edey’s tendencies, and more coaches cultivating ways to try and slow him down, it makes it even more imperative that the Boilers find a consistent second (or even third) option to turn to in games this winter, especially at the guard spots. 

2️⃣: Poised for a breakout. pic.twitter.com/gddT1WJLfV — Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) May 20, 2023

Though Loyer unquestionably was a bright spot who could help in a pinch, he also scored higher than Edey’s season-long average just once – a 27-point night against Nebraska in January. 

Purdue needs a breakout player or two, but the good news is that the Boilers have some prime candidates.

Sophomore guard Braden Smith made the Big Ten’s All-Freshman team and was an honorable mention team member with Loyer as Purdue’s top distributor (4.4 assists per game) and deep shooter (37.6% from 3-point range), for instance.

Jones An Eye-Catching Addition

As its high percentage of returning minutes implies, Purdue, unlike many other college hoops teams this summer, didn’t go buck-wild in the transfer portal or in recruiting as a whole.  

Four-star shooting guard Myles Colvin will be the only true freshman on scholarship on the Boilers’ roster this upcoming season, and the one transfer portal addition Painter did ink – former Southern Illinois guard Lance Jones – has a high chance of evolving into one of Purdue’s most important players in its push for a national championship. 

2023 SKN St. Polten vs Purdue - #3

Jones spent four seasons with the Salukis and started 113 of a possible 119 games, twice being named to both an All-Missouri Valley Conference team and the MVC All-Defensive team as he averaged double-figure scoring numbers three straight seasons and led the MVC in steals twice, evolving into arguably the conference’s premier lockdown perimeter defender. 

That two-way play should fit nicely into a team that has made defense a major part of its identity and in a Big Ten that prioritizes toughness and tenacity – and Purdue fans will get their first competitive look at him in his new uniform during the Boilers’ upcoming foreign tour.

Will Disappointment Finally End?

Purdue has heard the jokes and seen the memes about how it may be a 25-time Big Ten regular-season champ – the most titles by a team in the league’s history – yet it hasn’t delivered on sky-high hype in the postseason, last making the Final Four in 1980. 

But the past three NCAA Tournaments have been especially brutal for the Boilers, as the barbs toward the program have only intensified in the most embarrassing of ways. 

There was the loss to No. 13 North Texas in 2021. It was disappointing, yet not debilitating, considering how strong of a program now-Texas Tech coach Grant McCasland built there, but the Sweet 16 defeat in 2022 by Saint Peter’s – which became the first No. 15 seed in history to reach the Elite Eight because of that win – really stung, especially as the Boilers (a 3 seed) were the highest-seeded team remaining in the East Region when that occurred. 

Still, nothing could’ve prepared Purdue for the onslaught of criticism and commentary that would come when Fairleigh Dickinson became just the second No. 16 seed to beat a No. 1.

"That, to me, was the single-greatest upset and moment in the history of the NCAA Tournament!" — @AdamSchein on @FDUKnightsMBB victory over Purdue pic.twitter.com/wx9tjyVDEm — CBS Sports College Basketball 🏀 (@CBSSportsCBB) March 20, 2023

FDU took down Purdue in a mammoth upset as 23½-point underdogs, making the Knights the nation’s darlings and the Boilers the nation’s laughingstocks. 

Obvious embarrassment aside, if there’s any silver lining for Purdue, it’s that the only other top-seeded team to lose to a 16 – Virginia, which made infamous history after its 2018 loss to UMBC – stormed back the next year to win the national title for the first time, breaking its own Final Four drought (35 years prior to 2019). 

2023 BK Brno vs. Purdue - #4

If there indeed are brighter days ahead for Purdue after such disaster a few months ago, it may have years of frustration to thank, in an odd way, for motivating the team to finally break all the hexes and make history for a storied program.

• Feature Story
• Purdue Men's Basketball

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Purdue University Athletics

2023-24 purdue men's basketball schedule.

• Neutral Games

West Lafayette, Ind.

Nov 6 (Mon) 6:30 PM

Morehead State

Nov 10 (Fri) 7 PM

Nov 13 (Mon) 8:30 PM

#11 Gonzaga

Honolulu, Hawai'i

Nov 20 (Mon) 5 PM

#7 Tennessee

Nov 21 (Tue) 8 PM

#4 Marquette

Nov 22 (Wed) 5 PM

Texas Southern

Nov 28 (Tue) 8:30 PM

Northwestern

Evanston, Ill.

L, 88-92 OT

Dec 1 (Fri) 9 PM

Dec 4 (Mon) 7 PM

Toronto, Ontario

Dec 9 (Sat) 1:30 PM

Indianapolis, Ind.

Dec 16 (Sat) 4:30 PM

Jacksonville

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Caitlin Clark can take women’s basketball to a level never seen before

The all-time leading scorer in college basketball is about to turn pro as viewing figures break men’s records

S ince the NCAA women’s basketball tournament final on Sunday drew more US television viewers than the men’s final for the first time in history, it has been hailed as a watershed moment for women’s sports in America. A vanguard of star players including Connecticut’s Paige Bueckers, LSU’s Angel Reese and Southern California’s JuJu Watkins have lifted the profile of the women’s game to unprecedented heights over the past few months while recalibrating expectations for how all women’s sports can be covered, commercialised and consumed.

But none of them have commanded the national consciousness quite like Caitlin Clark , the ponytailed once-in-a-generation talent from the University of Iowa whose modest 6ft frame belies her outsized impact on college basketball and American sports at large.

The 22-year-old native of West Des Moines, who broke Pete Maravich’s 54-year-old record to become the all-time highest scorer in major college basketball history earlier this year, carried Iowa all the way to the final, repeatedly setting new TV ratings benchmarks along the way. After the Hawkeyes were denied a storybook ending by South Carolina in Sunday’s title game, despite Clark leading all scorers with 30 points, Gamecocks’ head coach, Dawn Staley, had barely started her victory speech at Cleveland’s Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse before paying tribute to the woman of the moment, saying : “I want to personally thank Caitlin Clark for lifting up our sport. She carried a heavy load for our sport and it’s not going to stop here.”

Caitlin Clark's greatest moments

12 November 2019 – Committing to the University of Iowa A prodigy who first drew attention from college programs when she was in seventh grade, Clark initially signed a letter of intent to play for two-time national champions Notre Dame before committing to the less prestigious Hawkeyes for an opportunity to build something special closer to home.

26 February 2023 – Buzzer-beater to stun Indiana Clark’s national profile levelled up midway through her junior season when she drained a clutch three-pointer at the death to topple a Hoosiers team ranked second in the nation. 31 March 2023 – Spoiling South Carolina’s perfect season in the Final Four Not simply happy to be there after leading Iowa to the school’s first Final Four in three decades, Clark poured in 41 points to spark a famous upset of a South Carolina team who entered the contest undefeated.

15 February 2024 – Becoming NCAA women’s basketball’s all-time scoring leader Needing only eight points to surpass Kelsey Plum as the NCAA women’s career scoring leader, Clark made history in style before a delirious home crowd at Carver-Hawkeye Arena; she broke the record with a 35-foot logo three less than three minutes in and finished with a career-high 49 points in a defeat of Michigan.

7 April 2024 – Setting new TV ratings record for third time in eight days  After drawing a record 12.3 million US television viewers for their victory over LSU in the Elite Eight, Clark and the Hawkeyes surpassed their own mark a few days later when their Final Four win over UConn attracted an audience of 14.2 million ... and once again with a viewership of 18.9m for their NCAA title game tilt with South Carolina.

It was the culmination of a transformative season, headlined by Clark, in which women’s basketball penetrated the US mainstream like never before. The TV numbers tell only half the story. Consider all the morning chatshows dissecting the stars, personalities and beefs across the women’s game after years of ignoring it entirely. Or how the cheapest ticket on the resale market for Sunday’s title game surpassed $500 (£400) at tip-off, more than three times the asking price for Monday night’s men’s final. Or the more than 17,000 spectators who turned out last Saturday to watch Iowa and South Carolina in an open practice , forcing organisers to turn fans away by the time Clark and the Hawkeyes took to the court. Or the Saturday Night Live sketch that centred on how Clark and co have overshadowed the men’s tournament. When she broke the college scoring record, fans including Joe Biden, Billie Jean King, Jason Sudeikis, Mila Kunis, LeBron James and Tom Brady were quick to congratulate her .

Hardcore basketball aficionados have known about Clark since she emerged as one of the country’s top-ranked recruits during a standout career at Dowling Catholic High School. After initially signing a letter of intent to play for the two-time national champions Notre Dame, she reconsidered and committed to a less-heralded program for an opportunity to build something special closer to home, a choice that has for ever endeared her to Iowans.

She wasted no time making an impact, scoring 27 points on her debut and leading the Hawkeyes to the Sweet Sixteen as a freshman, but it wasn’t until this past season that she made the leap to household name.

Clark’s ability to score or create opportunities for her teammates from anywhere past midcourt, while operating at an extremely high pace, makes for a crowd-pleasing playing style that is easy for casual observers to grasp. Her knack for draining three-pointers from the midcourt logo has drawn comparisons to the NBA star Stephen Curry, while her exceptional court vision and ability to whip one-handed passes to every corner of the court makes her nearly impossible to contain.

Since drawing a record 55,646 fans for an October pre-season game in an outdoor football stadium, Clark and the Hawkeyes became appointment viewing. Iowa’s win over LSU in the Elite Eight drew 12.3m US television viewers, making it one of the most watched sporting events of the past year outside the NFL. Their Final Four contest with Connecticut last Saturday night bested it, averaging 14.2 million viewers and peaking at 17 million, better than every World Series and NBA finals game last year.

Then came Sunday’s title game against South Carolina, which averaged 18.9 million viewers on ABC and ESPN. That number easily surpassed the 14.82 million average for UConn’s 75-60 victory over Purdue in Monday’s men’s final on TBS and TNT.

There is reason to believe women’s basketball can sustain this momentum. Schools are pouring more funding into women’s sports than ever before. Social media and new rules allowing student-athletes to profit off their name, image and likeness have enabled players to amplify their star power like never before. The growth of conference networks along with ESPN’s commitment to airing games on their flagship channel have resulted in more televised regular-season games than ever. The machinery that has made it possible to get players like Clark in front of viewers appears built to last.

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“It’s a moment, like people are saying, but it’s more than a moment, you know?” UConn’s coach, Geno Auriemma, said last week. “Sometimes moments become minutes, and minutes become hours, and hours become days. And the next thing you know, it becomes part of the national pastime.”

Women’s college basketball has always had great players at the top, from Cheryl Miller to Sheryl Swoopes to Lisa Leslie to Diana Taurasi to Candace Parker to Breanna Stewart to Sabrina Ionescu. But a deeper talent pool than ever before has made for more stars and greater suspense, helping expand the sport’s reach to new audiences. They are watching not because they’re told they should support women’s sports, but the games have been compelling on their own terms.

Now the question is whether the excitement generated by Clark will carry over when she joins the professional ranks at Monday night’s WNBA draft in Brooklyn, where she’s expected to be selected by the Indiana Fever with the No 1 overall pick. Early indications are positive: two WNBA teams have already moved their games against Indiana to larger arenas to accommodate demand.

“I know her shoulders are heavy because of what she has to give to women’s basketball. I just want to say we’re thankful. We’re thankful that she chose to play basketball,” Staley said on Sunday. “We’re thankful for the way she’s handled all of it. Her next step is the WNBA – I do think she can be that person that elevates us.”

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Most viewed

One chart shows just how much women's college basketball ratings have soared while men's have dipped

• Viewership for the women's NCAA basketball championship surpassed the men's final for the first time.
• The rising popularity of women's basketball is reflected in factors like increased merchandise sales.
• The surge in popularity of women's basketball is also being felt at the WNBA.

In college basketball , a significant shift in popularity has emerged.

Viewership for this year's NCAA basketball championship tournaments paints a clear picture of this evolving trend as the audience for the women's final game surpassed the men's final for the first time. There is also evidence of this shift in other areas, including merchandise sales and even the WNBA.

The 2024 women's NCAA championship game between the University of Iowa and the University of South Carolina drew 18.9 million viewers, according to the media audience measurement firm Nielsen . That was 28% more than the 14.8 million viewers for the men's matchup between Purdue University and the University of Connecticut.

The year-to-year ratings can be influenced by which teams and players are participating. However, using data from Nielsen and Sports Media Watch , we can see that the shift in popularity has been building for years — starting slowly in the late 2010s, right before COVID-19, and picking up speed this decade.

In 2015 and 2016, the men's championship game averaged 23 million viewers, nearly eight times the size of the women's final, with an average of 3 million. Over the next three years, the TV audience for the women's final grew by 23% to an average of 3.7 million.

In the first two years following the cancellation of the 2020 NCAA basketball championships due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the women's final kept up momentum, growing by an average of 27%.

In 2023 and 2024, the women's game reached new levels, surpassing the men's championships thanks to the surging star power of some of the biggest names in the sport. That includes players like Iowa's Caitlin Clark — who appeared in both finals — and Louisiana State University's Angel Reese in 2023. Additionally, the University of South Carolina coach Dawn Staley this season.

Women's basketball popularity goes beyond championship game ratings

We have seen other evidence of women's college basketball's emerging dominance in the sports landscape.

According to data provided to Business Insider by ticket marketplace StubHub, there was more demand for the women's three Final Four games than the men's, with sales surging 20% faster for the women's games than the men's once the teams were determined.

In some cases, sale prices for the women's tickets were twice the cost of men's games.

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On the eve of the Final Four matchups, tickets to the women's championship game had an average sale price of $370, compared to $180 for the men's final, according to StubHub. The cost for a ticket that admitted a fan to the Final Four and the championship was $700 for the women and $540 for the men.

Meanwhile, merchandise sales related to women's college basketball are also soaring.

After Clark broke the all-time NCAA basketball scoring record for men and women this year, her merchandise at sports apparel retailer Fanatics became the highest-selling ever for any college athlete .

And, in November, when Nike announced it would be selling the college basketball jerseys of active players for the first time, three of the four inaugural athletes were women, including Clark, the University of Connecticut's Paige Bueckers, and freshman Juju Watkins of the University of Southern California. The only men's player was Bronny James from the University of Southern California, the son of LeBron James.

We are also seeing evidence that the surge in the popularity of women's college basketball is also being felt at the next level, the WNBA.

The league announced record levels of popularity for the 2023 season in terms of TV viewership, attendance, and digital engagement. The growth of the TV audience was especially notable, as the WNBA's regular season saw a 21% increase compared to 2022.

After Clark was drafted with the first pick in the WNBA draft on April 15 by the Indiana Fever, her jersey was sold out in most sizes on Fanatics in the first hour following the announcement, according to Darren Rovell, founder of collectible media site Cllct .

The influence of NIL is being felt in women's sports

The reasons behind the growth in popularity of women's basketball are likely multifaceted, including increased media coverage and investment in women's sports .

However, another factor could be the emergence of name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals, in which college athletes can be compensated for endorsements and merchandise sales.

In addition to the increased exposure of star athletes to a broader audience , many women college stars may be enticed to stay in college longer and grow their star power, said Bruce B. Siegal, a partner in the entertainment and sports practice group at the law firm Greenspoon Marder. The firm also counsels and represents the Anchor Impact Fund , a NIL collective that works with athletes at Vanderbilt University.

"I think that for a lot of athletes, it may take the pressure off to feel like you've got to go pro early," Siegal told Business Insider. "Why not continue in college knowing that you can earn revenue and help support yourself, help support your family, and most importantly, graduate and get the education."

While the men's tournament still commands significant viewership, the rise in popularity of the women's tournament signals a promising future for women's basketball at all levels. As more fans tune in to watch the women's game, it creates a platform for female athletes to shine on a national stage and inspires future generations of young women to pursue their athletic dreams.

Have you recently spent a lot of money to attend a women's sports event? Reach out to this reporter at [email protected] .

Watch: How AI technology could change the way we watch sports according to IBM's Jonathan Adashek

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