Kent State Set to Challenge No. 5 Purdue in Men’s Basketball Showdown

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Kent State Golden Flashes (10-2) are gearing up for their last non-conference game of the season against the No. 5 ranked Purdue Boilermakers (11-1) on Monday, Dec. 29 at 7:00 p.m. ET. The game will be held at Mackey Arena.

This matchup marks a significant moment for Kent State as it will be their first encounter with a Power Five team since defeating Stanford in the second round of the 2025 National Invitation Tournament. This game will also be the fourth all-time meeting between the two schools, with Kent State winning two and Purdue one of the previous encounters.

Kent State is coming off a strong performance against UMass in their Mid-American Conference opener, securing a victory with a final score of 69-59. The Flashes dominated early, taking a 35-24 lead into halftime. Key players, including Woidke and Gillespie, contributed significant points in the second half to maintain their lead.

In their last meeting back in December 1972, Purdue edged Kent State with a score of 82-75. Their first meeting in 1969 saw Purdue just narrowly win, 65-64. Observing the time span between these games highlights the rarity of this competition.

Fans can listen to the game on Fox Sports Radio 1350, with coverage also available on Big Ten+. After Monday’s matchup, Kent State will focus on MAC play as they prepare to host Northern Illinois University on Saturday, Jan. 3.