From the basketball-crazy state of Indiana, the Purdue Boilermakers are 22-time Big Ten champions and one of the most successful teams in NCAA history. Tracing their roots all the way back to 1896, under legendary coach Ward “Piggy” Lambert, the Boilermakers were instrumental in developing the type of fast-paced action that has become the standard all over the world. The Gene Keady Era Coming over to Purdue from Western Kentucky in 1980, the great Gene Keady led the Boilermakers for a quarter century with astonishing success. Producing Big 10 championships and NBA talent as well as any program in the country, Keady took Purdue to 17 NCAA tournaments and two Elite Eight appearances. Perhaps most important to Boilermaker diehards, Keady amassed a winning record against the archrival Bob Knight-led Indiana Hoosiers. In addition to his success fostering talent on the floor, coach Keady also had a knack for developing coaches. Some of the names from the Gene Keady “coaching tree” include Bruce Weber of Kansas State, Cuonzo Martin of Tennessee as well as current Purdue head coach Matt Painter. Onward and Upward Taking over for his mentor in 2005, Matt Painter has proven to be one of the savviest coaches in the talent-laden Big 10. In 2010, with arguably the best trio in the country in JaJuan Johnson, E’Twaun Moore and Robbie Hummel, the Boilermakers started out the season 14-0 and looked like a serious contender for a national championship. A season-ending ACL injury to Hummel was a major blow to the team, but Painter rallied the troops en route to a 29-win season and a Sweet 16 berth. Save on Purdue Boilermakers Men’s Basketball tickets Following last year’s 16-18 season, the pressure is on for Matt Painter and the Purdue Boilermakers. With a couple of transfers and yet another big-time recruiting class, Purdue looks to avenge last season’s subpar campaign. Get in on the action now with guaranteed savings on Purdue basketball tickets from ScoreBig.com. Check out the best college hoops teams in the country as they visit Mackey Arena to take on the Boilermakers.