How to Watch No. 5 Purdue vs. Kent State with Streaming Info, Key Stats and Preview
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After more than a week off, Purdue and Kent State return to the hardwood on Monday for their final non-conference games of the 2025-26 season. With both teams bringing prolific offenses to the court, it has the makings of a high-scoring game inside Mackey Arena.
Here's everything you need to know about Monday's clash between the Boilermakers and Golden Flashes.
#5 Purdue (11-1) vs. Kent State (10-2)
- What: Non-conference game
- Date: Monday, Dec. 29, 2025
- Tipoff time: 7 p.m. ET
- Location: Mackey Arena in West Lafayette, Ind. (14,876 capacity)
- App: B1G+
- Radio: Purdue Global Radio Network — WAZY 96.5 FM (Lafayette); WKJG 100.9 FM (Fort Wayne); WNDE 1260 AM (Indianapolis); WGBF 1280 (Evansville); Sirius XM 85; View all listings: CLICK HERE
- Radio announcers: Rob Blackman (play-by-play), Bobby Riddell (analyst), Wes Scott (producer).
- Live stats: Purdue.StatBroadcast.com
- ESPN Matchup Predictor: Purdue has a 97.3% chance to defeat Kent State
Rankings
Purdue Boilermakers
- Associated Press — Purdue is ranked No. 5
- Coaches — Purdue is ranked No. 5
- KenPom — Purdue is ranked No. 5
- NCAA NET — Purdue is ranked No. 7
Kent State Golden Flashes
- Associated Press — Kent State is not ranked
- Coaches — Kent State is not ranked
- KenPom — Kent State is ranked No. 132
- NCAA NET — Auburn is ranked No. 146
Team Stats
Stats (per game) | Kent State | #5 Purdue |
|---|---|---|
Scoring | 94.3 ppg | 84.9 ppg |
Points allowed | 79.7 ppg | 66.5 ppg |
FG% | 49.7% | 50.9% |
3FG% | 38.6% | 40.1% |
Rebounds | 40.7 rpg | 40.0 rpg |
Assists | 19.3 apg | 20.4 apg |
Steals | 7.8 spg | 5.4 spg |
Blocks | 4.1 bpg | 4.0 bpg |
Turnovers | 14.4 topg | 10.4 topg |
Key Players
Purdue Boilermakers
- Braden Smith, G — Smith has played sensational basketball all season, but he's been particularly good since Purdue's loss to Iowa State. In the last three games, the senior guard is averaging 11 points and 12 assists per game, dishing out at least 10 dimes per contest. Not only has he been an excellent facilitator, but he has also showcased his ability to score when needed, dropping in 29 points in a win over Alabama on the road earlier this season.
- Fletcher Loyer, G — Loyer struggled in Purdue's outing against Auburn, finishing the game 0-of-7 from the field. But he remains one of the top shooters in the country, and he's hitting the three-ball at a 42.1% clip. Loyer is averaging 13.6 points per game this season and is Purdue's second-leading scorer through 12 games.
- Trey Kaufman-Renn, F — Kaufman-Renn has been a dynamite scorer in the post, but he's also improved tremendously as a rebounder. After missing the first two games, the senior forward is averaging 13.9 points and 10.0 rebounds per game, leading the Boilermakers in both statistical categories. The senior forward has been dominant on the glass and has provided Purdue with a major spark in the rebounding department this year.
- Oscar Cluff, C — Cluff recently posted his performance in a Purdue uniform in a win over Marquette. The 6-foot-11 center had 22 points, 11 rebounds, two blocks, and was a perfect 9-of-9 from the floor in the 20-point victory. Cluff has been an excellent addition to Purdue's roster, providing the Boilermakers with an additional low-post scorer and a tremendous rebounder.
Kent State Golden Flashes
- Delrecco Gillespie, F — Gillespie isn't just Kent State's top scorer; he's the best rebounder in the country. The 6-foot-8 forward is averaging 12.6 rebounds per game this season, the best mark in college basketball through December. He's had double-doubles in 11 of Kent State's 12 games and has been a problem for opponents in every game. He may not be the biggest body in the post, but he's certainly one of the most physical and aggressive players on the court.
- Cian Medley, G — Medley is another veteran on this Kent State squad, averaging 10.4 points and 6.5 assists per game. He's the team's top distributor, dishing out at least five assists in eight games this year. Medley can also score in bunches, but he's struggled in his last three games, totaling just 16 total points in matchups against UMass, Portland, and Robert Wesleyan.
- Morgan Safford, G — Safford is a do-it-all guard with good size and the ability to heat up like a microwave. He's hit the 20-point mark in three different games this season, including a 34-point outing against Cornell in November. With his 6-foot-4 frame, he's also a strong rebounder at the guard position and has good vision. He is averaging 15.1 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 2.2 assists per game this season.
- Quinn Woidke, G — The freshman is one of Kent State's top three-point threatS this year, averaging 9.9 points per game and hitting at a 44.3% clip. He's also shooting 48.1% from the field and 78.3% from the free-throw line. Woidke isn't Kent State's primary offensive weapon, but he does provide the Golden Flashes with consistent shooting from everywhere on the floor.
The Coaches
Matt Painter, Purdue
Painter is in his 21st season at Purdue and his 22nd year overall with the Boilermakers. In that time, he's led the program to five Big Ten regular season championships, two Big Ten Tournament titles, 16 NCAA Tournament appearances, and a trip to the National Championship Game in 2024.
A lot of Purdue's success has come in the last decade, with the Boilers adding four Big Ten championships to their collection since the start of the 2016-17 season. Painter has had four different players win the Big Ten Player of the Year Award five times: JaJuan Johnson (2010), Caleb Swanigan (2017), Zach Edey (2023, 2024), and Braden Smith (2025).
Painter is a Purdue alum, playing under legendary coach Gene Keady from 1989-93. After his playing career ended, he jumped right into coaching, working as an assistant at Washington & Jefferson (Division III) and Barton (Division II) before getting a job at Eastern Illinois (1995 to 1998). Painter then joined former Purdue assistant coach Bruce Weber at Southern Illinois as an assistant from 1998 through 2003. Painter then became head coach of the Salukis for the 2003-04 season.
In 2004, Painter returned to Purdue as the associate head coach alongside Keady before taking over the program for the 2005-06 season. In a win over Akron on Nov. 16, 2025, Painter won his 500th career game as a head coach.
- Overall record: 507-221
- Record at Purdue: 482-216
Rob Senderoff, Kent State
A former Indiana assistant coach, Senderoff is in his 15th season as the head coach at Kent State. He's approaching 300 career wins with the Golden Flashes and has guided the program to eight postseason appearances, which include a pair of NCAA Tournament berths and a trip to the NIT quarterfinals in 2025.
Senderoff's teams have consistently been near the top of the MAC and have won two conference tournament championships and one MAC regular season title. In 2022, Senderoff was named the league's Coach of the Year after a 23-11 season and a 16-4 mark in conference play.
Senderoff has been loyal to Kent State, coaching the program in some capacity for a total of 22 years. Before becoming head coach in 2011, he worked as an assistant coach from 2002 through 2006 and was the associate head coach from 2008 until 2011.
The New York native has also had stops at Miami (Ohio), Fordham, Yale, Towson, and Indiana throughout his coaching career.
- Overall record: 298-178
- Record at Kent State: 298-178
Preview
After a long holiday break, both Kent State and Purdue return to the hardwood for their final non-conference games of the season. This will be another big test for the Boilermakers' defense, as the Golden Flashes enter the game averaging 94.3 points per game, an average that ranks sixth in college basketball.
Purdue's defense has been outstanding since the loss to Iowa State, holding Minnesota, Marquette, and Auburn to 60 points or less in three straight games. The Boilers have won each of those games by 20 points or more, including a pair of 28-point victories over Minnesota and Auburn.
Gillespie is the player from Kent State who can cause the most problems for Purdue. He's only 6-foo6t-8, but he's averaging more than 19 points and 12 rebounds per game. He gives Kent State maximum effort on the glass and can score in the post. But he hasn't faced a frontcourt as big as Purdue's with Cluff and Kaufman-Renn down low. Don't forget about Daniel Jacobsen, either.
Purdue isn't a team that forces a lot of turnovers, but Kent State is giving the ball away 14.4 times per game, which ranks in the 300s nationally. The Golden Flashes like to push the tempo and get several possessions, but the Boilermakers can easily take them out of their rhythm by slowing down the pace and ending possessions with rebounds.
Because of the long break between games, this could be an interesting game for the first half. Ultimately, though, Purdue's size will wear down Kent State in the post and the Boilermakers should be able to end non-conference play with a comfortable win at Mackey.
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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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