One Interesting Fact About Purdue's Successful History Against Arizona
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What if I told you that Purdue has never lost to Arizona when it has been ranked as a top-two team in the Associated Press poll? Not to sound too much like an ESPN 30 for 30 commercial, but it's an interesting fact ahead of Saturday's Elite Eight clash between the second-seeded Boilermakers and the top-seeded Wildcats.
On Saturday night, Purdue and Arizona will battle at the SAP Center in San Jose for an opportunity to go to Indianapolis and play in the Final Four. It's been a season-long goal for both teams, but the season will continue for only one after this weekend.
These two programs have only played 13 times in their history, with Purdue owning an 8-5 advantage. The Boilermakers have also won each of the last three meetings and four of the last five. Matt Painter is also 3-0 against Arizona.
What has been most impressive, though, is the 3-0 record against Arizona when it's ranked as the No. 1 or No. 2 team in the country, per Purdue's game notes.
Not only did the Wildcats earn a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament, but they were ranked No. 2 in the Associated Press poll at the end of the season. Here's a quick rundown of those games.
#3 Purdue def. #1 Arizona 92-84 (Dec. 16, 2023)
This is a game the members of Purdue's current roster remember well. The Boilermakers were ranked No. 3 in the country and were carried by Zach Edey, Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith to a 92-84 win in the Indy Classic.
Loyer went off for 27 points, Smith had 26 points and Edey had 22 points, nine rebounds and five assists to hand Arizona its first loss of the season. That Purdue squad would go on to win the Big Ten regular season title and played in the National Championship.
#18 Purdue def. #2 Arizona 89-64 (Nov. 24, 2017)
Another win over Arizona under Painter, this one came in the seventh-place game in the Battle 4 Atlantis during the 2017-18 campaign. The Wildcats were led by Deandre Ayton, but he was the only one who caused any problems for the Boilermakers.
Dakota Mathias scored 24 points, Carsen Edwards had 22, Vincent Edwards had 17 and Isaac Haas finished with 12, leading the Boilermakers to a blowout win to end the event on a positive note. That Purdue team won 30 games and reached the Sweet 16.
Purdue def. #1 Arizona 72-69 (Nov. 25, 2000)
This victory dates back to the Gene Keady era, when Purdue pulled off a shocking upset of the Wildcats in the Wooden Classic early in the 2000-01 season. Rodney Smith had 20 points, and Joe Marshall and Willie Deane both scored 16 in the thrilling win in Indianapolis.
Arizona was anchored by future NBA players Richard Jefferson and Gilbert Arenas. That Wildcats team would go on to play in the National Championship Game. Purdue, on the other hand, finished 17-15 and made it to the third round of the NIT.
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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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