The Purdue and Auburn men's basketball programs have announced the start of a two-game series played at neutral sites, starting in December in Birmingham, Alabama.

The Boilermakers and Tigers will start the series in Birmingham on Dec. 21, 2024, then play in the fourth annual Indy Classic on Dec. 20, 2025, at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis.

The Boilermakers and Tigers finished Nos. 3 and 4 respectively a year ago in the KenPom ratings and combined for a 61-13 record between them. Purdue won the Big Ten regular-season title by three games last year, while Auburn was the SEC Tournament champion. The Tigers earned a No. 4 seed in the NCAA Tournament last season, while the Boilermakers garnered a No. 1 seed.

Purdue leads the all-time series with Auburn by a 2-1 margin, last facing the Tigers in the Cancun Challenge Championship game in Nov. 2016. The Boilermakers topped the Tigers by a 96-71 decision, fueled by six players in double-figures and paced by freshman Carsen Edwards with 21 points and three steals. Purdue made 17-of-26, 3-point attempts in that contest and shot 64.3 percent from the field.

The Tigers are coming off a 27-8 season and return All-American candidate Johni Broome, while welcoming Furman standout J.P. Pegues to its roster. The Tigers are ranked No. 11 in ESPN's way-too-early top-25 poll.

Meanwhile, the Boilermakers are coming off a spot in the National Championship game and a 34-5 record. Three starters are scheduled to return in addition to three other players that played at least 31 games this past season. Head coach Matt Painter also welcomes a six-member recruiting class that is ranked among the top 10 nationally.

Purdue is now scheduled to play three SEC teams during the 2024-25 season, in preseason No. 2 Alabama, No. 11 Auburn and No. 12 Texas A&M, in addition to Big East power and No. 17-ranked Marquette. The Boilermakers could also face SEC sleeper Ole Miss in San Diego, as well as 2024 Final Four participant North Carolina State and BYU in San Diego.