Where Purdue's Defense Has Shown Most Growth Over Last Year
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When last season ended, Matt Painter knew that Purdue would have to improve on the defensive end and in the rebounding department to chase a national championship. Through the first 13 games of the 2025-26 campaign, the Boilermakers have already shown drastic growth.
On Monday night, Purdue defeated Kent State 101-60, marking the fourth straight game in which it held an opponent to 60 points or less. The Boilermakers are 4-0 in that stretch, with an average margin of victory of 29.3 points per game.
Everyone has focused on Purdue's success over the last four games, and for good reason. The Boilermakers have responded like champions since suffering an 81-58 home loss to Iowa State in early December. But Painter says that his team has been solid both defensively and on the glass for the majority of the season.
"We just had one bad half. We didn't have a bad first half against Iowa State; we had one bad half," Painter said. "I think a lot of that had to do with how good they are, and we turned the ball over 10 times. We didn't help ourselves defensively, because they were playing in transition."
Through Purdue's first 13 games, it has held six opponents to 60 points or less. It has kept another two teams to fewer than 65 points. Last season, the Boilers held just five opponents under the 60-point mark and 13 teams to 65 or less.
Although Painter loves to schedule tough games in the non-conference portion of the season, Purdue's most challenging stretch lies ahead. The Big Ten is loaded with teams capable of putting up a lot of points.
Will Purdue's defensive success through the first two months of the season translate into Big Ten play and give the Boilermakers a shot to win a third conference championship in four seasons?
Purdue's numbers compared to 2024-25
Rebounding the basketball was a top priority for Painter and his coaching staff following the 2024-25 season. The Boilers knew they'd have some help with Daniel Jacobsen's return this season, but the struggles on the glass were the motivating factor in getting Oscar Cluff from the transfer portal.
Unsurprisingly, that's one area where Purdue has shown the biggest improvement this season. Last year, the Boilers were ranked in the 100s in rebounding differential. Through 13 games, they're just outside the top 10.
That's just one aspect where Purdue has seen growth. It's also holding opponents to fewer points and a worse shooting percentage compared to a year ago. As a result, the Boilermakers have a much better defensive efficiency rate (KenPom).
Stats | 2024-25 (national rank) | 2025-26 (national rank) |
|---|---|---|
Points per game allowed | 70.4 (126th) | 66 (34th) |
Opp. FG% | 45.2% (262nd) | 39.6% (42nd) |
Rebound differential | +2.1 (130th) | +11.4 (11th) |
Blocked shots | 1.9 (362nd) | 3.7 (141st) |
Defensive rating (KenPom) | 99.2 (53rd) | 96.2 (16th) |
Painter said that Purdue's prowess on the glass has been the catalyst behind that success. The Boilers have two of the top rebounders in the country, with Trey Kaufman-Renn averaging 10.2 boards per game (15th) and Cluff grabbing 8.6 per contest (53rd). Jacobsen has come in to get 4.3 rebounds off the bench, too.
"We've done some good things, but we have a long way to go," Painter said. "But we've made some strides here defensively the last three weeks to be able to string those games together and hold people at 60 points or under. Our ability to rebound really helps us."
Shot blocking is another area where Purdue has improved, although it's still not a major strength of the defense right now. The Boilermakers have doubled their average from last year, largely thanks to Jacobsen's return. The 7-foot-4 center accounts for 2.2 of the team's 3.7 blocks per game, with Cluff averaging 0.8 per contest.
Erasing those shots and altering several others has allowed Purdue to protect the paint much more effectively than it did last season.
Loyer, Smith talk about defensive improvement
For Purdue to be successful on the defensive end, everyone has to be locked in on that end of the floor. Senior guard Braden Smith has acknowledged that, at times last season, it wasn't his primary focus.
That has changed this year.
"I think just understanding that we're capable of doing it," Smith said after the Kent State game. "I can't speak for anybody else, but for myself, I felt like I kind of let off on the defensive end to help offensively, which doesn't help. So, I think this year, pressuring the ball and bringing that energy defensively helps and gives us a better chance to win games."
Offensively, Purdue has the highest efficiency rate in college basketball. Per KenPom, the Boilers have an offensive efficiency rate of 128.8, a full point higher than Illinois, which ranks second. Their 48.6% shooting percentage ranks 16th in the NCAA, and they rank 17th in three-point percentage, hitting at a 38.2% clip.
Purdue has the offense necessary to make a deep run in March. But it's the improvement on the defensive end that makes this team a national title contender.
"We know that's what's going to take us far in the NCAA Tournament and help us win the Big Ten," Fletcher Loyer said. "Just continuing to talk to each other about being high-level defenders."
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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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