3 Things to Watch in Purdue’s Home Opener vs. Valparaiso

Purdue found itself in a tight battle down the stretch in Monday night’s game against No. 15 Gonzaga, but was ultimately on the wrong side of a 78-72 decision in Las Vegas. On Friday, the Boilermakers return to Mackey Arena to play their first home game of the 2026-27 campaign.

Several things stood out from Purdue’s opener against Gonzaga, both positively and negatively. It provides us with things to keep an eye on as the Boilers prepare for a five-game homestand before the competition ratchets up again later this month.

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Let’s talk about a few things I’ll be watching throughout Purdue’s opener against Valparaiso.

The backup five minutes

Nov 8, 2024; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers forward Raleigh Burgess (34) shoots. | USA TODAY Sports via Reuters Connect

One of the biggest talking points following Purdue’s loss to Gonzaga was the play behind Daniel Jacobsen. The 7-foot-4 center had a career night, scoring 22 points and grabbing seven rebounds. That was a major story from Monday night. So, too, was the play of Enzo Shahrvin.

Shahvrin was the first off the bench when Jacobsen was subbed out. He played eight minutes, but finished with just two points and a rebound. He was also responsible for four turnovers and a pair of turnovers in his time on the court.

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In the second half, Matt Painter elected to give Raleigh Burgess some of the minutes at the five, and he played relatively well. He didn’t fill up the stat sheet in his abbreviated appearance, but he scored a bucket, forced a steal and chased down an offensive rebound that gave the Boilers an extra possession.

Was Monday’s performance just first-game jitters for Shahrvin? Will Burgess be the first off the bench against Valparaiso when Jacobsen needs a break? Several eyes are going to be on how this situation plays out.

Shooting on the home floor

Dec 29, 2025; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers guard C.J. Cox (0) shoots the ball. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Purdue’s struggles…

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Publish date : 2026-11-04 21:00:00

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