5 Things to Know About Purdue's Indy Classic Opponent — Auburn Tigers
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A top-25 matchup is on the docket this weekend, as No. 6 Purdue and No. 21 Auburn meet at Gainbridge Fieldhouse for the Indy Classic. This is the second game of a two-year agreement, with the Tigers winning last years battle in Birmingham 87-69.
This year, Purdue returns a big chunk of its production from the 2024-25 team, and Auburn has almost an entirely new squad. Here are a few things to know about the Tigers ahead of Saturday evening's showdown in Indianapolis.
Pettiford is a young, talented point guard
As skilled as Pettiford was last year, he's gotten even better in his sophomore campaign, especially over the last six games. During that stretch, he's averaging 20.5 points per game, hitting the 20-point mark four times. For the year, Pettiford is averaging 16.1 points, 2.6 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per contest.
Pettiford uses his dribble to get to the basket for quick layups or to draw contact at the rim. He's also a solid shooter in the mid-range and can pull up from the free-throw line to knock down shots. The sophomore is a quality defender who can make life difficult for opposing guards.
At the end of last season, Pettiford was named to the SEC's All-Freshman squad. He was also a tough cover for Purdue in Birmingham last December, scoring 18 points and dishing out five assists in Auburn's blowout victory.
Several new faces this year
Auburn had to reload and retool after last year's Final Four run. The Tigers hit the transfer portal hard, bringing in seven new players, including key contributors like Keyshawn Hall, KeShawn Murphy, Kevin Overton, and Elyjah Freeman. Combined, those four account for 58.5% of Auburn's scoring and 59.5% of its rebounding.
This is also a team with five freshmen on the roster, two of whom have made quick impacts. Sebastian Williams-Adams is averaging 7.6 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per contest, and Filip Jovic is accounting for 6.4 points and 4.8 boards while shooting 63.2% from the floor.
Pearl has a lot of talented pieces on his roster, but this is a new group still learning on the fly. This team is only going to improve as the season continues.
Hall can do it all
One of the most impactful transfer players this season has been Hall, who joined the Tigers after playing at UCF last year. He also had stops at UNLV (2022-23) and George Mason (2023-24). The 6-foot-7 senior forward has immediatley become Auburn's top scorer and rebounder this year.
Hall is averaging 20.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game. He's also an efficient shooter, hitting 47% from the floor, 41.5% from three-point range, and nearly 90% from the free-throw line.
Hall is an athletic player who can take defenders off the bounce from the perimeter and get to the lane. He can also run in transition and knock down spot-up three-pointers. He's one of the toughest players to defend in the SEC and has become nearly a lock to score 20 points on a nightly basis.
Auburn can get to the free-throw line
One of the greatest strengths Auburn has is getting to the foul line. The Tigers are averaging 28.2 free throws per game, which ranks 13th nationally. They're connecting at a 73.5% clip, so they're not taking complete advantage of those opportunities, but they are getting a lot of free points.
Auburn's ability to draw contact can be problematic for Purdue, a team that likes to utilize its post presence. The Tigers will probably try to draw early fouls on starters Oscar Cluff and Trey Kaufman-Renn, as well as Daniel Jacobsen when he checks into the game.
It's critical for the Boilermakers to stay disciplined defensively and play physical without fouling. If Purdue has to play small ball because of foul trouble, it'll be an advantage for Auburn.
Like father, like son
Bruce Pearl had been the head coach at Auburn since 2014 until abruptly retiring before the start of the 2025-26 season. In a decade at the helm, the elder Pearl led the Tigers to four SEC regular season titles, a pair of SEC Tournament championships, and two Final Four appearances.
When Bruce retired, Auburn named his son, Steven, head coach. He has been on the Tigers' staff since 2017 and spent the previous two seasons as the associate head coach. Obviously, Steven has a long way to go before catching his father in the wins department, but an 8-3 start isn't too shabby for a first-time head coach.
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Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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