Purdue to play Marquette in home and home series

Jon Rothstein on College Hoops Today is reporting that Purdue and Marquette are finalizing a deal for a home and home series for the next two seasons.

The first game will be at Marquette with Marquette returning to West Lafayette to play at Mackey Arena in 2025-26.

Purdue and Marquette aren't strangers.

The two teams have squared off in both of the last two seasons.

In 2024, Purdue and Marquette met in the Maui Invitational Championship game with Purdue besting the Golden Eagles 78-75.

In 2023, Marquette came to Purdue and lost 75-70 as part of the now ended Gavitt Games.

Head coaches Shaka Smart and Matt Painter have even more of a history of playing against each other. Smart originally made his name for himself with an VCU team that knocked off Purdue on its way to a Final Four run.

Later, Purdue would take on Smart's Texas teams twice in the regular season with Smart getting the better of Painter with two wins.

But Painter and Purdue have one each of the two contests with Marquette since Shaka Smart took over the program in 2022.

Both coaches have shown a lot of respect to the other over the years and it's not a surprise the two programs are looking to continue their play against each other away from early season tournaments. This will be Purdue's first trip to Marquette since Smart has taken over and will be a strong early season test for a team that will have to adjust to life after Zach Edey.