Where Purdue Basketball is Reportedly Headed for 2026-27 MTE
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The trend of Purdue basketball playing in warm-weather areas in November will reportedly continue into the 2026-27 season. It's been reported that the Boilermakers will be participating in this year's Fort Myers Tip-Off.
Rocco Miller of Field of 68 reported that Purdue is part of the four-team field for the Beach Division of this year's Fort Myers Tip-Off. The other teams participating are DePaul, Oklahoma and Pitt.
Additionally, Matt Painter told Andy Katz during an interview at the NBA Scouting Combine that the Boilermakers would be participating in a multi-team event in Fort Myers. However, he did not go into specifics.
Dates, matchups, tipoff times and television information will all be released at a later date.
This is another quality addition to Purdue's 2026-27 schedule, which includes multiple premier matchups. The Boilers have already locked up games against Gonzaga, Tennessee and Iowa State and are also working to finalize agreements with Illinois State and Valparaiso.
On Wednesday, Purdue also revealed that it will be traveling to the East Coast on Oct. 27 for an exhibition showdown against UConn, a rematch of the 2024 National Championship Game. A location has not been announced for that preseason contest.
Purdue has won five straight MTE events
Purdue has enjoyed tremendous success in multi-team events over the past five seasons. The Boilermakers have been champions of five consecutive multi-team events, winning the Baha Mar Championship most recently.
The Boilermakers went to the Bahamas and defeated Memphis and Texas Tech to claim the title. But that's just the most recent accomplishment for Painter and his squad in these events.
In 2024, Purdue took down North Carolina State and Ole Miss to win the Ray Children's Invitational in San Diego.
Perhaps the most impressive championship came in 2023, when Purdue won the Maui Invitational. That year, the Boilers defeated Gonzaga, Tennessee and Marquette to claim the prestigious title. All three opponents were ranked in the top 11 of the Associated Press poll.
Purdue also won the 2022 Phil Knight Legacy, posting victories over West Virginia, Gonzaga and Duke. One year earlier, the Boilers took the crown at the 2021 Hall of Fame Tip Off, beating North Carolina and Villanova.
Can the Boilermakers keep their streak alive and add a sixth straight multi-team event championship to their collection in 2026?
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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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