Purdue has won each of the last two Big Ten regular season championships and has claimed four league titles in past eight seasons. Can Matt Painter lead the Boilermakers to another a third straight in the 2024-25 campaign?

Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook — a yearly college basketball publication — recently released its projections for the upcoming season. Purdue is still predicted to finish pretty high, but not atop the conference standings.

Purdue’s in-state rival, Indiana, is predicted to win the Big Ten this season. It would be the first regular season title for the Hoosiers since 2016.

The Boilermakers are predicted to finish third in the conference this coming season. In addition to Indiana, they’re also slotted behind Illinois. Here’s a look at the complete projected order of finish, via Blue Ribbon College Basketball Yearbook:

1. Indiana Hoosiers
2. Illinois Fighting Illini
3. Purdue Boilermakers
4. UCLA Bruins
5. Ohio State Buckeyes
6. Michigan State Spartans
7. Oregon Ducks
8. USC Trojans
9. Michigan Wolverines
10. Washington Huskies
11. Wisconsin Badgers
12. Nebraska Cornhuskers
13. Maryland Terrapins
14. Northwestern Wildcats
15. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
16. Iowa Hawkeyes
17. Penn State Nittany Lions
18. Minnesota Golden Gophers

Purdue lost a lot of major contributors from last year’s roster. The Boilers enter 2024-25 without two-time National Player of the Year Zach Edey, Big Ten Sixth Man of the Year Mason Gillis, starting guard Lance Jones and utility player Ethan Morton. That’s a lot to replace.

However, the Boilermakers do return three starters from last year’s squad: Guards Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer and forward Trey Kaufman-Renn. Forward Caleb Furst also has starting experience and Cam Heide and Myles Colvin both contributed to last year’s team.

Purdue also brought in a five-man recruiting class that ranked in the top-20 nationally, per 247Sports.

Winning three consecutive Big Ten titles is a difficult task, especially with the skill and experience that departed in the offseason. Can Purdue surprise some people this season and get back to the top of the conference?

WINNING FORMULA THE SAME FOR PURDUE: Zach Edey was a major part of Purdue’s success over the last two seasons. But Matt Painter says the formula for success remains the same, even with Edey gone. CLICK HERE

SMITH NAMED PRESEASON ALL-AMERICAN: Purdue junior guard Braden Smith was named a preseason All-American by the Blue Ribbon Yearbook. He averaged 12 points, 7.5 assists and 5.8 rebounds last year. CLICK HERE

PAINTER STILL PITCHES EDUCATION: Even in today’s chaotic era of college athletics, Purdue men’s basketball coach Matt Painter puts a premium on earning a great education. CLICK HERE