Fort Myers Tip-Off Preview
Purdue’s men’s basketball program is set to headline the Fort Myers Tip-Off, a multi‑team event that will take place during Thanksgiving week. The Boilermakers will open the tournament against DePaul on November 24 before squaring off with Oklahoma on Thanksgiving Day.
Coach Matt Painter said he is eager to see how the new roster responds to the rigors of a strong non‑conference slate, noting that the event offers a valuable rehearsal for the upcoming Big Ten season.
The tournament field also includes Pitt, Oklahoma, and a handful of other nationally ranked programs, making it one of the most competitive early‑season brackets.
Purdue enters the event riding a streak of five straight multi‑team tournament victories and 12 consecutive wins in such settings, a run that underscores the program’s recent dominance.
DePaul will be led by Chris Holtmann, the former Butler and Ohio State coach who took over the program last season. Holtmann guided DePaul to a 16‑16 record in 2023‑24, the most wins for the program since the 2019‑20 campaign.
Adding intrigue, former Purdue associate head coach Jack Owens now serves as an assistant on Holtmann’s staff, while C.J. Cox remains the only returning starter for the Boilermakers.
Purdue’s lineup will also feature a mix of experienced contributors and fresh faces. Redshirt freshman Antione West Jr. and four incoming freshmen are expected to see significant minutes, complementing the limited playing time of several other returnees who averaged between 12.9 and 15.7 minutes per game last season.
To sharpen their chemistry, the team has already embarked on exhibition trips to Canada, where they will face a series of opponents before returning to the United States for the tip‑off.
Beyond the Florida event, Purdue’s non‑conference schedule includes matchups against Iowa State, Gonzaga, Tennessee and a high‑profile exhibition against Connecticut on the East Coast. The NCAA recently approved a 32‑game maximum for the 2026‑27 season, a change that could further expand the Boilermakers’ calendar.