Purdue's Matt Painter rejects mid-major NCAA Tournament coaches' scheduling complaints
The Boilermakers coach delivered a rebuttal against Miami (Ohio) and High Point's scheduling cries during the NCAA Tournament
Purdue coach Matt Painter is stiff-arming claims from several mid-major coaches in the NCAA Tournament that Power Five programs are refusing to play potential small-school threats during the non-conference schedule.
In the aftermath of the second-seeded Boilermakers' 104-71 win over No. 15 seed Queens on Friday night, Painter addressed recent remarks made by Miami (Ohio) coach Travis Steele and High Point's Flynn Clayman that scheduling quality non-conference opponents has become virtually impossible for mid-major programs.
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"Every high-major plays mid-majors ... they're just saying we're not playing them," Painter said Friday night. "It's really a back-handed compliment. We've proved ourselves. The guy at Miami (Ohio) says, 'Nobody will play us' ... well, Akron's been the best team in the league. Kent State's been the best team in the league; we've played them. Year before that, Toledo's been a damn good team in that league and almost won it this year in the (conference) tournament. We've shown ourselves, but we're also doing it from a NET standpoint, because playing those teams help you.
"But nobody wants to play five or six teams like this. They're going to play two or three. I know Michigan played good people. I know Michigan State played good people. But the people who are looking to move their seed line, are looking at that stuff. ... You've got to get wired to do what's best for the NET. So when you're a mid-major guy, and you say those things, and you get a high-major job, you've got to be careful because you're talking with a forked tongue, there."
High Point was the seed rated No. 12 or higher that won this week following Thursday's upset of fifth-seeded Wisconsin. It was the program's first NCAA Tournament win and led to Clayman's emotional scheduling take seconds after the final horn.
"It looks obvious high-majors need to play mid-majors during the season," Clayman said. "They said we didn't play nobody. Nobody would play us, just like they wouldn't play Miami (Ohio). But they have to play us in this tournament."
Matt Painter with some pointed words about Power 5 schools scheduling Mid-Majors. pic.twitter.com/75xgQJvl1a
— Boilers In The Stands (@BoilersInStands) March 21, 2026
High Point plays No. 4 seed Arkansas on Saturday night with a Sweet 16 berth on the line, while Miami (Ohio)'s storybook season ended in the Round of 64 against Tennessee on Friday, a couple of days after the RedHawks (32-2) won their First Four game.
Despite entering its conference tournament as college basketball's only unbeaten, Miami (Ohio) was nearly left out of the March Madness field due to its strength of schedule and low-end metrics.
"You've got to keep things in perspective because if he was in my position, like, you're going to play 11 non-conference games next year and it's going to go to 12 ... we play six high-major games and five mid-major teams," Painter said. "When they say they don't play mid-majors ... we played five mid-majors this year. But if he was in our position, he'd do the same thing we were doing. I didn't set the NET rankings, the NET rankings set themselves.
"I'm going to go by it. I'm going to figure it out. The coach's that don't look at the NET rankings and figure out how to schedule are bozos. They're absolute bozos. You are going to do what is best for your institution so you can get in the (NCAA) tournament and help your seed."
Painter and the Boilermakers beat Akron and Kent State this season handily. Miami (Ohio) was 4-0 against the pair.
Steele said after the RedHawks' loss to Tennessee that he wants the selection process for the NCAA Tournament altered.
"A lot of it's analytically driven. There needs to be adjustments made," Steele said. "I don't know when's the last time that they made an adjustment to it or if they have. But fans want to see those games. Our fans do. Their fans do. They want to see brands. It stinks."
Steele said that based on current metrics used in determining at-large teams, he assumed the RedHawks could be on the outside looking in this March due to their slate.
"We didn't finish our schedule until mid-October. We played two weeks later, which is ridiculous, especially in today's college landscape," Steele said. "It sounds crazy to me, but again, I get why they don't want to play because you want to stay away from Quad 2 or Quad 3 games. It does nothing for you. It's almost like a lose-lose situation."
