How to Watch No. 8 Purdue vs. Ohio State With TV Info, Key Stats & Preview
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An important Big Ten clash is on the docket for Sunday afternoon. No. 8 Purdue heads to Columbus for a showdown with Ohio State. Both teams are trying to bounce back from disappointing losses.
Ohio State has won the last two games against Purdue, so the Boilers will be looking to get revenge. With so many high-level scorers, this has the potential to be an exciting game to begin March.
Here's everything you need to know for Sunday's matchup.
#8 Purdue (22-6, 12-5) vs. Ohio State (17-11, 9-8)
- What: Big Ten Conference game
- Date: Sunday, March 1, 2026
- Tipoff time: 1:30 p.m. ET
- Location: Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio (18,809 capacity)
- TV: CBS
- App: Paramount
- Announcers: Kevin Harlan (play-by-play), Robbie Hummel (analyst)
- 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 Ch. 85.
- Radio announcers: Rob Blackman (play-by-play), Bobby Riddell (analyst), Wes Scott (producer).
- Live stats: OhioState.StatBroadcast.com
- All-time series: The series between Purdue and Ohio State is tied 94-94.
- ESPN Matchup Predictor: Purdue has a 65.8% chance to defeat Ohio State
Rankings
Purdue Boilermakers
- Associated Press — Purdue is ranked No. 8
- Coaches — Purdue is ranked No. 8
- KenPom — Purdue is ranked No. 8
- NCAA NET — Purdue is ranked No. 7
Ohio State Buckeyes
- Associated Press — Ohio State is not ranked
- Coaches — Ohio State is not ranked
- KenPom — Ohio State is ranked No. 39
- NCAA NET — Ohio State is ranked No. 38
Team Stats
Stats (per game) | #8 Purdue | Ohio State |
|---|---|---|
Scoring | 82.6 | 79.5 |
Points allowed | 69.5 | 73.1 |
FG% | 48.6% | 50.1% |
3FG% | 34/7% | 38.4% |
Rebounds | 36.1 | 33.9 |
Assists | 19.8 | 14.4 |
Steals | 5.8 | 4.9 |
Blocks | 2.8 | 2.5 |
Turnovers | 10.5 | 9.1 |
Key Players
Purdue Boilermakers
- Braden Smith, G — Smith has been Purdue's top offensive weapon this season, leading the team in scoring and is among the top passers in college basketball. He is averaging 14.8 points and 8.8 assists per game. He surpassed 1,000 career assists on Thursday night, becoming just the fifth college basketball player to hit that milestone. Because of his ability to score and distribute, he's a tough matchup for any opponent.
- Fletcher Loyer, G — Before Thursday's game against Michigan State, Loyer had reached double figures in every game in the month of February. The senior guard is Purdue's second-leading scorer, averaging 13.4 points per game and is shooting 40.2% from three-point range. He has been one of the top shooters in the Big Ten this month.
- Trey Kaufman-Renn, F — Kaufman-Renn is averaging 13.2 points and 8.8 rebounds per game this season, leading the Boilermakers on the boards. He's been a real problem in the post this year and is coming off a big night against Michigan State, albeit in a loss. Kaufman-Renn ended that contest with 10 points, seven assists and six rebounds.
- Oscar Cluff, C — Cluff has helped Purdue on the glass this season, a big part of the team's success. The 6-foot-11 senior is averaging 10.1 points and 7.1 rebounds per game, though he's had a bit of a bumpy road over the last month. His ability to box out the five spot has been a big help for the Boilermakers in the rebounding department.
Ohio State Buckeyes
- Bruce Thornton, G — Thornton has been one of the top scorers in the Big Ten this season, averaging 20.0 points per game. Last week against Michigan State, the senior went off for 32 points while shooting 54.5% from the field. Thornton can score on all three levels from the floor, shooting 54.2% on the year and 38% from three-point range. He has an excellent mid-range game, too.
- John Mobley Jr., G — Mobley has been Ohio State's top three-point shooter on the year, hitting nearly 41% from deep. He's not quite as consistent as Thornton, but he did have a four-game stretch in mid-January in which he scored 22 points or more. The Buckeyes went 3-1 during that stretch. He is capable of going off in any given game.
- Devin Royal, F — At 6-foot-6, Royal brings great toughness to the floor. He has a great ability to score in the post and is also active on the glass. For the season, Royal is averaging 14.1 points and 5.5 rebounds per game. The junior forward as been really good in his last two games, scoring 16 against Iowa and 25 in a win over Wisconsin.
- Christoph Tilly, C — Tilly is Ohio State's post presence at 7-foot. He is scoring 11.3 points and collecting 4.8 rebounds per contest, but he is also a good passer at his size. Tilly is dishing out 2.3 assists per contest, doing a nice job of finding open shooters when he's surrounded down low. He does have a tendency to pick up fouls and isn't the most physical player, but he can present problems because of his ability to score and distribute out of the post.
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: 518-226
- Record at Purdue: 493-221
Jake Diebler, Ohio State
Diebler is in his second full season as the head coach at Ohio State, taking over late in the 2023-24 season after the school parted ways with Chris Holtmann. After a strong run to close out that year that resulted in an NIT appearance, Diebler was awarded the permanent gig.
Diebler has spent his entire playing and coaching career at just three locations. He played at Valparaiso from 2005 through 2009 under coach Homer Drew. Immediately after his playing career ended, Diebler worked as a student assistant at Valpo and was eventually hired as an assistant.
After working at Valpo from 2009 until 2013, Diebler was hired to be an assistant coach at Vanderbilt, where he worked from 2016 through 2019. He then joined Holtmann's staff at Ohio State in 2019. He's remained in Columbus ever since.
Ohio State has already matched its win total from a year ago and is looking to earn its first trip to the NCAA Tournament of the Diebler era.
- Overall record: 42-29
- Record at Ohio State: 42-29
Preview
Ohio State has had Purdue's number under Jake Diebler. The Buckeyes are 2-0 against the Boilermakers under Diebler, so this won't be a game Matt Painter's team takes lightly.
Purdue should have a major advantage on the interior with Cluff, Jacobsen and Kaufman-Renn. The size and physicality should cause some problems for Ohio State in the post. If the Buckeyes double the post, the Boilermakers should be able to kick out to open shooters.
Where Ohio State can cause some problems is on the offensive end, especially against a team that has struggled defensively. The Buckeyes have three really skilled scorers in Thornton, Mobley and Royal. If that trio gets into a rhythm, Ohio State can put up a lot of points.
Purdue needs a win on Sunday to remain in the running for a No. 2 seed in the NCAA Tournament. Ohio State has to get a victory to help its shot at a March Madness bid. This is an important matchup for both teams.
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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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