Purdue suffers historic low point in wild loss to Iowa State

Since the beginning of the season, the Purdue Boilermakers have been the No. 1 ranked team in the country in the AP men’s basketball poll. Purdue started the season off at 8-0, but suffered their first loss of the season, 81-58, to the Iowa State Cyclones who remained undefeated at 9-0. With the loss, Purdue reached a couple of unfortunate historic markers.

With the blowout loss to Iowa State, it became the worst home loss for Purdue, as well as the worst non-conference loss for a No. 1 ranked team in the history of the AP poll, as per The Field of 68. In the loss, the Boilermakers were led by 11 points from Braden Smith, and 10 points apiece for Trey Kaufman-Renn and Oscar Cluff.

Purdue came into the 2025-26 season with national championship aspirations, and the loss to Iowa State doesn’t necessarily diffuse those goals.

The Boilermakers are in their 21st season with Matt Painter at the helm as head coach. During that time, he’s complied an overall record of 479-216, and 239-129 in conference play. Painter has led Purdue to 16 NCAA Tournament appearances including eight Sweet 16 appearances, two Elite Eights, one Final Four and one appearance in the national championship game.

They also have the dubious honor of being only the second team in NCAA history to have lost to a No. 16 seed as a No. 1 seed in the round of 64 of the NCAA Tournament. In 2022-23, Purdue was eliminated by No. 16 Fairleigh Dickinson.

Purdue’s next game is on Wednesday, Dec. 10 against Minnesota in a Big Ten Conference matchup.

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