Purdue Fort Wayne excited for ‘pretty cool’ opportunity to host Purdue basketball

Jon Coffman said a decade of persistence led to Purdue men’s basketball playing an exhibition against its Fort Wayne sister campus — in the Mastodons’ arena — in October.

In an interview with WANE’s Glenn Marini, Fort Wayne coach Coffman said he first broached the subject of the Boilermakers playing at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum in 2016. He doubled down a few years ago at a fundraiser run for former Purdue guard Raphael Davis’ CREW Life Foundation. Coffman pounced during the Q&A.

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“I asked the emcee if I could ask a question of coach Painter,” Coffman said. “So I bullied him there a little bit.”

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See the Purdue Boilermakers take on Arizona Wildcats in March Madness

The Purdue Boilermakers meet on the court before a NCAA Tournament game against the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at the San Pedro Square Market in San Jose, Calif.

(Christine Tannous/IndyStar)

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See the Purdue Boilermakers take on Arizona Wildcats in March Madness

The Purdue Boilermakers meet on the court before a NCAA Tournament game against the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at the San Pedro Square Market in San Jose, Calif.

(Christine Tannous/IndyStar)

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See the Purdue Boilermakers take on Arizona Wildcats in March Madness

Purdue Boilermakers fans cheer along with the band and cheerleaders before a NCAA Tournament game between the Purdue Boilermakers and Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at the San Pedro Square Market in San Jose, Calif.

(Christine Tannous/IndyStar)

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See the Purdue Boilermakers take on Arizona Wildcats in March Madness

Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) warms up before a NCAA Tournament game against the Arizona Wildcats on Saturday, March 28, 2026 at the San Pedro Square Market in San Jose, Calif.

(Christine Tannous/IndyStar)

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See the Purdue Boilermakers take on Arizona Wildcats in March Madness

Purdue Boilermakers center Oscar Cluff (45) warms up before a NCAA Tournament game against the Arizona Wildcats on…

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Publish date : 2026-06-12 08:05:00

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