Gene Keady Makes Trip to Providence as Purdue Prepares for 2025 NCAA Tournament

Former Purdue coach Gene Keady is in Providence and ready to cheer on his former team as the Boilermakers prepare for High Point in the NCAA Tournament.
Gene Keady is honored during the alumni game and intrasquad scrimmage
Gene Keady is honored during the alumni game and intrasquad scrimmage / Alex Martin/Journal and Courier / USA TODAY NETWORK
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Gene Keady has become a regular at Purdue basketball games over the years. This year has been no different, and the legendary leader of the Boilermakers will be following the team in the NCAA Tournament once again in 2025.

Purdue arrived in Providence, R.I. on Tuesday to begin preparations for its first round matchup against High Point on Thursday. Once everyone got settled in, the social media team posted a photo of Keady alongside Arkansas coach John Calipari, whose team is also in the city for March Madness.

Keady has regularly traveled with the team through the NCAA Tournament. Last season, the former Purdue coach was along for the ride as the Boilermakers reached the National Championship Game.

He may have been a hard-nosed coach when he was on the sidelines in West Lafayette, but he always enjoys himself in these environments. When attending last year's Final Four, Keady had a Purdue "P" logo cut into his hair.

Keady was the leader at Purdue from 1980-2005, winning six Big Ten championships and playing in the NCAA Tournament 17 times. He is the program's all-time winningest basketball coach, recording 512 wins during his time with the Boilermakers.

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TOM BREW COLUMN: No. 4 seed Purdue takes on No. 13 High Point on Thursday in the NCAA Tournament, and it's a big deal for second-year coach Alan Huss. He spent nearly a decade coaching in Northern Indiana, and knows Purdue and coach Matt Painter well. He talked about those experiences during Wednesday's press conference in Providence, R.I. CLICK HERE

BOILER BANTER: After failing to win the Big Ten and some picking High Point to pull off a first-round upset, Purdue should be highly motivated for March Madness this week. CLICK HERE

SMITH EARNS ALL-AMERICA HONORS: Purdue guard Braden Smith was tabbed as a first-team All-American for the 2024-25 college basketball season. Trey Kaufman-Renn was an honorable mention. CLICK HERE

SMITH TABBED TOP-50 NBA PROSPECT: ESPN released a list of the top-50 NBA prospects participating in the 2025 NCAA Tournament. Purdue guard Braden Smith was the only Boiler to make the cut. CLICK HERE

HOW TO WATCH PURDUE-HIGH POINT: No. 4 Purdue and No. 13 High Point will meet in the first round of the NCAA Tournament on Thursday. TV and radio information, top players, key stats and more. CLICK HERE


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Dustin Schutte
DUSTIN SCHUTTE

Dustin Schutte is the publisher of ''Purdue Boilermakers on SI.'' He has more than a decade of experience covering the Big Ten. Follow Dustin on X at @SchutteDustin.