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Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn are part of the winningest class in Purdue basketball history, and now, they get one more shot at a national championship.
The preseason's No. 1 overall team might not be the top seed in the NCAA Tournament, but the Boilermakers finished the season red-hot. Purdue won four games in four days in the Big Ten tournament, including defeating top-seeded Michigan in the title game, to catapult to a No. 2 seed in the West region.
The Boilermakers head to St. Louis for their opening-round matchup against the No. 15 Queens University Royals. The Royals (21-13) are making their NCAA Tournament debut in their first year of eligibility after transitioning from Division II, having punched their ticket with a thrilling overtime victory in the ASUN Championship. While Purdue enters as a heavy favorite, they face a high-scoring Queens offense that ranks 19th nationally and features six players averaging double figures.
This matchup serves as the first step in a redemption tour for the Boilermakers, who are looking to secure the program's first national title. All eyes will be on Braden Smith, the Big Ten Tournament's Most Outstanding Player, who enters the game just one assist shy of breaking Bobby Hurley's all-time NCAA career record. Purdue will look to dominate the paint with Kaufman-Renn and Oscar Cluff, while Queens will rely on their perimeter speed to try and pull off the ultimate upset that Purdue fans are all too familiar with.
Here's what you need to know about Friday's matchup between Purdue and Queens, including broadcast information and start time.
What channel is Purdue vs. Queens on today?
- TV channel: truTV
- Live stream: DIRECTV
Viewers can find Purdue's first round game against Queens on truTV, with Spero Dedes and Jim Spanarkel on the call. They'll be joined by Jon Rothstein on the sidelines.
Fans looking to stream Purdue vs. Queens can watch live on DIRECTV.
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What time is Purdue vs. Queens today?
- Date: Friday, March 20
- Time: 7:35 p.m. ET
The NCAA tournament game between Purdue and Queens is set to tip off at 7:35 p.m. ET from the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri.
Purdue enters with the more decorated NCAA Tournament resume but is still looking for its first national championship in program history. Smith, Loyer and Kaufman-Renn were all part of Matt Painter's team that made the title game in 2024 before losing to UConn. On the other side, Queens is making its first ever NCAA Tournament appearance in its first Division I season.
Purdue vs. Queens radio coverage
- Radio station: SiriusXM
Those looking to listen to No. 2 Purdue against No. 15 Queens can find it on SiriusXM channel 201.
Listen to every game of the 2026 NCAA men's basketball tournament live on SiriusXM.
New subscribers can listen to SiriusXM for free for four months. Listen to live NFL, MLB, NBA and NHL games, plus NASCAR, college sports and more. Stay updated with all the news and get all the analysis on multiple sport-specific channels.
March Madness bracket 2026
Check the Sporting News NCAA Tournament live bracket for the latest final scores and next-round matchups.
When and where is the Final Four in 2026?
- Date: April 4 and 6
- Location: Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis
The 2026 Men's Final Four is set for April 4 and 6 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The semifinals will be played Saturday night and the national championship game is set for Monday night.
The home of the Indianapolis Colts previously hosted the event in 2010, 2015 and 2021 and is set to host again in 2029. Indianapolis previously hosted the Final Four at other facilities in 1980, 1991, 1997, 2000 and 2006.
Only Kansas City has been home to the Final Four more often (10 times), but the last one held there was in 1988.
March Madness tournament schedule 2026
Here is the round-by-round schedule for the 2026 NCAA men’s basketball tournament:
| Round | Date |
| First Four | March 17-18 |
| First round | March 19-20 |
| Second round | March 21-22 |
| Sweet 16 | March 26-27 |
| Elite Eight | March 28-29 |
| Final Four | April 4 |
| National championship | April 6 |
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