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Purdue's first experience on the basketball court this season didn't quite go as planned. The Boilermakers dropped a 78-65 exhibition game to Kentucky on Friday, but senior Fletcher Loyer said that the top-10 clash was just a "quiz," helping Purdue prepare for the regular season. Friday's outcome is not uncommon for Purdue, which has lost three straight exhibition games to Power Four opponents. In 2023, the Boilers lost to Arkansas, and last year they fell to Creighton. Those results provided no real glimpse into Purdue's season on either occasion. As competitors, Purdue certainly would have liked to leave Rupp Arena with a victory, but Loyer understands that Friday's result will only help the team moving forward. "Obviously, nobody likes losing, so immediately you're pissed off," Loyer said. "But you have to take a step back and realize it's a quiz leading up to the test. We have to get better. We have to fix small things, big things as well. It's only going to help us improve." Coach Matt Painter has talked about the benefits of scheduling a quality road game in the preseason to help his team prepare for the regular season. Now, when the Boilermakers head to Alabama on Nov. 13, it won't be the team's first road game of the year. Purdue struggled to shoot Life is challenging on the road, especially when shots aren't falling. That was the case on Friday night in Lexington, as the Boilermakers shot just 38.6% from the floor and made only three shots from three-point range on 17 attempts. Purdue was unable to rely on its defense or rebounding to get a win. That's something that has to change, especially with such a tough schedule in the 2025-26 season. "We played a talented team in a tough environment, obviously not an easy game. It just shows you we have to get a lot better," Loyer said. "It shows how much better you have to get when shots don't go in. How are you going to win the game? When you're playing against a talented team and you don't make shots, what are you going to do?" Kentucky's athleticism posed problems for Purdue all night long, especially when getting out in transition. The Wildcats also outrebounded the Boilermakers 42-30, including a 10-7 advantage on the offensive glass. It wasn't Purdue's prettiest performance, but Loyer said his team still got something out of it. The result will only fuel the fire and help the Boilermakers prepare for other tough matchups. "It's exactly why we do it, to get something out of it," Loyer said. "If we win, we're going to get better, show up the next day, and get better. If we lose, we're going to do the same thing."
