What Does 500 Wins Mean to Matt Painter? Purdue Coach Reflects on Achievement

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Fletcher Loyer was waiting with the game ball in the locker room shortly after the final buzzer sounded at Mackey Arena on Sunday night. No. 2 Purdue defeated Akron 97-79, giving Matt Painter his 500th career win as a head coach.

Shortly after the senior guard presented his head coach with the game ball, Painter was doused with water to celebrate the accomplishment. Spirits were high in the locker room, a group of players happy to see their leader reach an impressive career milestone.

Painter was certainly appreciative of the recognition from his players after the game, but the accomplishment itself? Painter says, to him, it's not that big of a deal. But will hitting that milestone — and doing it at his alma mater — mean something more at some point?

"I think in time it does. Right now, we have a really good team, and I'm trying to take in this win, not really the number of the win, but just take in the win. Wake up tomorrow and get ready for Memphis," Painter said after Purdue's win. "I would think it's a big deal if it wasn't me, but it is me, so I don't think it's a big deal. I'm yet to see a really good coach with bad players. It's a player's game."

5️⃣0️⃣0️⃣ and counting!

Guys got him! pic.twitter.com/6I1KR6tS14
— Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) November 17, 2025

Painter has won a majority of those games in West Lafayette, accumulating 475 victories since taking over the program ahead of the 2005-06 season. He went 25-5 in his lone season as the head coach at Southern Illinois (2003-04).

He has an opportunity to hit 500 wins at Purdue by the end of the season, as well.

Painter might be modest when it comes to his own accomplishment, but 500 victories is nothing to scoff at. In that time, he's also led Purdue to five Big Ten championships and 16 NCAA Tournament appearances. The Boilermakers reached the National Championship Game in 2024, the program's first trip since 1969.

Maybe the man who reached the milestone doesn't think much of it, but it's certainly clear that his players find it to be an impressive feat.

How Painter navigates changing landscape

Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter stands on the side of the court during the first half | Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

A lot has changed in college basketball in Painter's 22 seasons. It has gone from offering scholarship opportunities to a world full of NIL deals, the transfer portal, and every game airing on national television.

How has Painter continued to find success amid all the changes the sport has endured over the last two decades?

"I would say it's trying to stay up with the game and keep learning," Painter said. "Just because you have success in one season, it doesn't mean you can have the same success then next year."

A major part of Purdue's success in recent years can be attributed to retention and recruiting. The Boilermakers have lost just four non-graduate students to the transfer portal over the last two seasons, all of those players leaving after the 2024-25 season.

Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Trey Kaufman-Renn have spent their entire careers in West Lafayette. Gicarri Harris, CJ Cox, Daniel Jacobsen, Jack Benter, and Raleigh Burgess all returned from last year's squad.

In this era of college basketball, that level of retention is rare. Yet Painter and his staff have managed to build a culture built on honesty. That's been another key factor in his success over the years.

"Get the right players who fit together," Painter said. "Get them on the bus, get them on time, tell them the truth, and then have a lot of fun."

How Painter navigates changing landscape

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