Purdue Coach Calls Out 'Bozo' Scheduling Practices

Matt Painter defends Boilermakers' non-conference schedule amid criticism from mid-major coaches

Mar. 21, 2026 at 7:21pm

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Purdue head coach Matt Painter responded to criticism from mid-major coaches about high-major teams avoiding playing them, calling out those coaches as "bozos" who don't understand the importance of scheduling for NCAA Tournament seeding. Painter defended Purdue's schedule, which includes several mid-major opponents, and said top teams have to balance playing tough non-conference games while also ensuring they get enough wins to secure a high seed.

Why it matters

This debate highlights the ongoing tension between high-major and mid-major college basketball programs over scheduling practices. Mid-major coaches argue the top teams avoid playing them, while high-major coaches like Painter say they have to balance a variety of factors in putting together their non-conference schedules to maximize their chances of securing a favorable NCAA Tournament seed.

The details

After Purdue's 104-71 win over Queens, Painter said that if mid-major coaches were in his position, they would schedule similarly. He noted Purdue played six high-major and five mid-major non-conference games this season. Painter pointed to other top teams like Michigan, Michigan State, Duke, Florida, Houston and Arizona also playing tough non-conference schedules that have helped their NCAA Tournament seeding. At the same time, Painter said Purdue has played some of the better mid-major programs in recent years, including Kent State, Oakland and Akron.

  • Purdue defeated Queens 104-71 on March 21, 2026.

The players

Matt Painter

The head coach of the Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball team.

Flynn Clayman

The head coach of the High Point Panthers men's basketball team, who recently went viral for criticizing high-major teams for avoiding playing mid-majors.

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What they’re saying

“You've got to keep things in perspective because if he was in my position, you're going to play 11 non-conference games. Next year, it's going to go to 12. We play six high-major games, and we play five mid-major teams. So when they say they don't play mid-majors, like, we played five mid majors this year.”

— Matt Painter, Head Coach, Purdue Boilermakers

“The coaches that don't look at the NET rankings and get things figured out how to schedule are bozos. They're absolute bozos.”

— Matt Painter, Head Coach, Purdue Boilermakers

What’s next

Purdue will face Miami (FL) in the Round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This debate highlights the ongoing challenges high-major and mid-major college basketball programs face in scheduling non-conference games. While mid-major coaches argue the top teams avoid playing them, high-major coaches like Painter say they have to balance a variety of factors to maximize their chances of securing a favorable NCAA Tournament seed.