Live Game Thread & Updates for No. 2 Purdue vs. No. 8 Alabama

A top-10 showdown is on the docket in Tuscaloosa on Thursday night. No. 2 Purdue will take on No. 8 Alabama in a marquee matchup early in the season. It should be an entertaining matchup between two talented teams.

Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. ET and the game will air on ESPN2. Follow along throughout tonight's game for live updates.

#2 Purdue vs. #8 Alabama live game blog

2nd Half

FINAL: Purdue 87, Alabama 80. The Boilermakers get 29 points, 7 rebounds and 4 assists from Braden Smith. Trey Kaufman-Renn scores 19 points and gets 15 rebounds in his first game. Oscar Cluff ends the night with 9 points and 11 rebounds.

1:16 — Alabama tied the game with a three-pointer from Houston Mallette. Braden Smith drives down and gets a layup to put Purdue back up by two points.

2:20 — A clunky offensive possession from Purdue ends with a CJ Cox putback. It happened right as the shot clock was expiring, so the bucket is waved off. Score remains 80-77.

2:55 — Alabama has scored four straight points to cut Purdue's lead down to 80-77. The Boilermakers take a timeout to try and regroup. Trey Kaufman-Renn returns to the game.

3:48 — We've reached our final media timeout of the game and Purdue leads Alabama 79-73. Daniel Jacobsen has made two big buckets and Fletcher Loyer finally knocked down a three-pointer. The Boilers are trying to escape Tuscaloosa with an impressive victory on the road.

4:35 — Trey Kaufman-Renn leaves the game as he appears to be battling a leg issue. It's unclear what the situation is.

7:56 — We have a tie ballgame at the third media timeout at 66-66. Alabama has put the clamps down on Trey Kaufman-Renn, who has scored just 2 points in the second half. Braden Smith is willing this team right now, he's up to 21 points for the game.

10:27 — Braden Smith goes on a 5-0 run and puts Purdue back ahead 62-61. Every time Alabama gets a lead, the Boilers respond.

11:48 — Alabama still leads 59-57. Purdue turns the ball over under Alabama's basket, so the Crimson Tide will get possession out of the media timeout.

12:15 — Aden Holloway, who had been quiet for a while, knocked down his fifth three-pointer of the game to give Alabama a 59-57 advantage. A lot more fouls in this half. Purdue hasn't been able to get much going offensively in the first 8 minutes.

14:10 — Latrell Wrightsell knocks down a triple to give Alabama a 54-53 advantage. But Purdue responds immediately and gets a lob to Daniel Jacobsen, who hammers it home and gets the Boilers back in front.

15:47 — We've reached the first media timeout of the second half and Purdue owns a 53-48 lead. A Braden Smith triple gave the Boilermakers a five-point advantage. Alabama is trying to get the ball into the post and establish some sort of game in the paint.

19:02 — CJ Cox immediately makes an impact in this second half. He takes the ball to the basket, makes a floater off the glass and draws an and-1. He makes the free throw and it's 48-43 Purdue.

1st Half

0:00 — Purdue 43, Alabama 41. Trey Kaufman-Renn has nearly a double-double in the first half, with 17 points, 8 rebounds and has made 8-of-10 shots from the floor. Braden Smith has 8 points and 3 assists. Oscar Cluff with 5 points and 4 boards. For Alabama, Aden Holloway leads the way with 14 points. The Crimson Tide are 10-of-21 from the three-point line.

1:37 — Purdue's work on the offensive glass continues to pay off. After an offensive rebound, Oscar Cluff backs down his defender into the post, then kicks it out to Braden Smith for an open triple, putting Purdue back ahead 41-38.

3:41 — The Crimson Tide own a 38-36 advantage at the final media timeout of the first half. Alabama has now made 10-of-20 attempts from three-point range. Purdue is 16-of-29 from the floor, but has only attempted nine shots from long range. Right now, that's the difference in the ball game.

4:34 — Alabama simply has no answer for Trey Kaufman-Renn. The senior forward has scored 13 points and is 6-of-6 from the floor. He also has 6 rebounds. He's been outstanding in the first half.

7:33 — We've reached the third media timeout of the first half and Purdue and Alabama are tied 30-30. High level basketball in Tuscaloosa.

8:28 — Aden Holloway is killing Purdue right now. He's already hit four triples in this game. His latest ties it up at 28-28. Labaron Philon Jr. then steals the ball, races down the floor and gets an easy dunk to put Alabama up 30-28.

10:00 — Bodies were flying all over the floor as Oscar Cluff chased down an offensive rebound. Omer Mayer knocked down a triple for the Boilers.

11:08 — Purdue leads Alabama 21-20 at the second media timeout. The Crimson Tide are shooting the lights out of the basketball from three-point range. Bama is now 6-of-12 from behind the arc, and four different players have made a long ball. The Boilermakers have been able to get into the paint, but haven't capitalized, missing a lot of bunnies. A Gicarri Harris triple put Purdue back on top.

15:01 — Daniel Jacobsen and Gicarri Harris check in out of the break. Trey Kaufman-Renn finds a cutting Fletcher Loyer for an open layup immediately out of the timeout. Then, Braden Smith knocks down a triple. It's 15-8 Boilers.

15:42 — Purdue leads Alabama 10-8 at the first media timeout. Trey Kaufman-Renn has crashed the boards hard in his first appearance of the season for the Boilermakers. Purdue is winning the rebound battle 8-2, with 5 offensive boards. Alabama has knocked down a pair of three-pointers in the first four minutes.

16:53 — Purdue's bigs are getting involved early. Oscar Cluff scored the first four points for the Boilermakers and Trey Kaufman-Renn got a bucket on a goaltending call. It's been really good to see Cluff get to work early, as he struggled in the first halves of Purdue's first two games.

Pregame

Alabama's starters

#0 Labaron Philon Jr., G
#2 Aden Holloway, G
#95 Houston Mallette, G
#7 Taylor Bol Bowen, F
#22 Aiden Sherrell, C

Purdue's starters

#0 CJ Cox, G
#2 Fletcher Loyer, G
#3 Braden Smith, G
#4 Trey Kaufman-Renn, F
#45 Oscar Cluff, C

How to watch #2 Purdue vs. #8 Alabama

What: Non-conference game
Date: Thursday, Nov. 13, 2025
Tipoff time: 7 p.m. ET
Location: Coleman Coliseum in Tuscaloosa, Ala. (15,383)
TV: ESPN2
App: ESPN App
TV announcers: Tom Hart (play-by-play), Jimmy Dykes (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 139 or 196; View all listings: CLICK HERE
Radio announcers: Rob Blackman (play-by-play), Bobby Riddell (analyst), Wes Scott (producer).
Live stats: Purdue.StatBroadcast.com
Series history: Purdue leads the all-time series vs. Alabama 7-3
Last meeting: Purdue defeated Alabama 87-78 on Nov. 15, 2024, in West Lafayette, Ind.

Preview

If you love efficient, high-scoring basketball, Thursday night's matchup between Purdue and Alabama is right up your alley. Both the Boilermakers and Crimson Tide can score a lot of points and are among the best offensive teams in the country.

The last two matchups between Purdue and Alabama have been track meets, with the Boilers winning the 2023 matchup 92-86 and last year's clash 87-78. Expect to see another high-scoring affair in Tuscaloosa on Thursday night.

The matchup between Alabama guard Labaron Philon Jr. and Purdue's Braden Smith might be one of the best of the non-conference slate. Philon has been Alabama's top scorer and passer through two games, which included a 25-point performance in Saturday's win over St. John's.

Smith demonstrated the ability to take over a game in Purdue's victory over Oakland on Friday, scoring 21 points, dishing out nine assists, and collecting seven boards in a closer-than-expected outcome.

Really, the big news surrounding Thursday's game is that Purdue All-Big Ten forward Trey Kaufman-Renn plans to return to the lineup after missing the first two games. How will Alabama's big men handle the senior forward, who scored 26 points against the Crimson Tide last season?

Alabama has some extremely skilled guards on the roster, including Aden Holloway, Latrell Wrightsell, and Houston Mallette, along with Philon. That group can put pressure on Purdue's defense, especially a group that has struggled to keep opponents out of the paint through two games.