AUBURN, Ala. – Russ Potts Productions, Inc. (RPPI), in conjunction with the Birmingham Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) and the Greater Birmingham Convention and Visitors Bureau are proud to formally announce a marquee non-conference men’s basketball matchup between the Auburn Tigers and the Purdue Boilermakers to take place on Saturday, Dec. 21, 2024, at Legacy Arena at the BJCC in Birmingham, Ala.
This will mark the first game of a two-year series between Auburn and Purdue as the schools will face off again as part of the Fourth Annual Indy Classic on Dec. 20, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Ind. The Indy Classic is organized and operated by RPPI, Pacers Sports & Entertainment and Indiana Sports Corp.
Purdue and Auburn have met on the hardwood three times with Purdue leading the all-time series, 2-1. The last meeting between the two schools took place during the 2016 season in the championship game of the Cancun Challenge with Purdue winning that game, 96-71. Prior to that, the Boilermakers and Tigers met in postseason play with a Purdue win (79-61) during the 2001 NIT Tournament and an Auburn win (59-58) during the 1985 NCAA Tournament.
Auburn looks to defend its Southeastern Conference Tournament Championship from a year ago behind the return of All-American, SEC Tournament Most Valuable Player and All-SEC First Team selection Johni Broome (16.5 ppg, 8.5 rpg, Naismith Defensive Player of the Year Award semifinalist). The senior forward/center is one of the top returning players in the country. He helped lead the Tigers to the third-most wins in program history, third-straight NCAA Tournament appearance and a 27-8 overall record in 2023-24.
Head coach Bruce Pearl enters his 11th season on The Plains and is 14 wins away from becoming the all-time winningest coach in program history. Auburn will play one of the toughest non-conference schedules with three 2024 NCAA Final Four participants on its slate including Purdue, Alabama and defending national champion UConn (potential opponent at the Maui Invitational).
The Tigers welcome seven newcomers to the squad including McDonald’s All-American and five-star rookie guard Tahaad Pettiford and three veteran transfers in JP Pegues (Furman), Miles Kelly (Georgia Tech) and Ja’Heim Hudson (SMU).
“I am grateful to Matt Painter and the Purdue Boilermakers for agreeing to a two-game series to be played this year in Birmingham and next year in Indianapolis,” Pearl said. “Matt has one of the finest college basketball programs in the country. His kids play hard and play the right way. Purdue is one of the top programs in the Big Ten winning three conference championships and being ranked No. 1 nationally over the last three seasons.
“We are excited about playing in Birmingham, which will serve as an NCAA Regional site. With a quality opponent like Purdue, I would anticipate us selling out Legacy Arena. I know the Auburn Family will step up and meet that challenge. We are excited for our players, because if you want to be the best, you have to play the best.”
Purdue is coming off an appearance in the NCAA Championship game and a 34-5 record. Braden Smith (12.0 ppg, 7.5 apg, Cousy Award finalist), Fletcher Loyer (10.3 ppg, 63 three-pointers) and Trey Kaufman-Renn (6.4 ppg, 4.0 rpg) each return after starting all 39 games a year ago, in addition to three other players that played at least 31 games last season.
Head coach Matt Painter also welcomes a five-member recruiting class that is ranked among the Top 10 nationally. The Boilermakers are consistently rated in the Top 15 in the Top-25 polls entering the 2024-25 season.
“We are excited to be part of an outstanding two-year series with Auburn, beginning in December in Birmingham, then returning to Indianapolis in 2025,” Painter said. “We strive to make our non-conference schedule very competitive, and Auburn will be one of the top teams in the SEC this coming season.”
“We are thrilled to announce one of the top non-conference games of the season with Auburn taking on Purdue in Birmingham. We anticipate a full house and tremendous atmosphere on Dec. 21 in Legacy Arena,” said RPPI President, Zach Franz.
“The BJCC is honored to host an exciting non-conference game between the Auburn Tigers and Purdue Boilermakers,” said Executive Director & CEO of the BJCC, Tad Snider. “We are thrilled to see how recent investments in Legacy Arena continue to make downtown Birmingham and the greater Birmingham area a premier destination for sports, entertainment, conventions, and meetings. Our team looks forward to showcasing all that our city has to offer to visitors, athletes, and fans during this series.”
Tickets for the event will go on sale in the coming months on Ticketmaster.com.
About RPPI
RPPI has organized over 900 major college and professional sporting events in nearly 40 years in the industry. RPPI is led by President, Zach Franz and Vice President, Adam Syprzak. The 2024 season will feature 30+ men’s / women’s college basketball games organized by RPPI across the country. In addition to sports marketing, promotion, and event organization, RPPI also provides business development, facilities consulting, fundraising, and corporate sponsorship services. For more Information: www.rppi.net or by phone at: (540) 665-0598
About the BJCC
The Birmingham-Jefferson Convention Complex (BJCC) is Alabama’s premier sports, convention, and entertainment destination. It is home to premier sports and entertainment venues, including Protective Stadium, the BJCC Concert Hall, and Legacy Arena, the state’s largest arena. The campus also includes a convention center offering over 220,000 square feet of space for trade shows and exhibitions. The BJCC sits in the heart of Birmingham’s thriving Uptown Entertainment District, which also includes The Westin Birmingham and Alabama’s largest hotel, the 757-room Sheraton Birmingham. The BJCC will soon welcome a new 9,380-seat amphitheater, set to open Summer 2025. Visit https://www.bjcc.org for more.
About Indiana Sports Corp
Founded in 1979 as the nation’s first sports commission, Indiana Sports Corp is a not-for-profit organization focused on bringing premier sporting events to Indiana to drive economic vitality, facilitate a vibrant community with civic pride and garner positive media attention. Because of this, Indiana Sports Corp is able to provide positive, sports-related opportunities for youth in the community. For more information, please visit IndianaSportsCorp.org.