Purdue Fort-Wayne Mastodons head coach Jon Coffman will lead his program into a nonconference game against the Utah Runnin' Utes this November. Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Utah Runnin' Utes face mid-major foe as part of multi-team event

Originally posted on Utah Utes on SI | By Cole Forsman | Last updated Jul 21, 2025 8:31 PM ET

Before heading off to Palm Desert, California, for their lone multi-team event of the college basketball season, the Utah Runnin' Utes will take on Purdue Fort-Wayne in a nonconference matchup at the Huntsman Center.

The Runnin' Utes will play host to the Mastodons on Nov. 18 for Utah's designated "home game" in the 2025 Acrisure Classic, the school has announced. Tip time and broadcast info have not been made official yet.

Utah, which has been placed in the Acrisure Classic pod, caps off the first day of the midseason tournament from Acrisure Arena with a matchup against Grand Canyon on Nov. 25 at 9 p.m. PST. Iowa or Ole Miss will be waiting for the Utes the following day.

Purdue Fort-Wayne enters the 2025-26 campaign looking for its fifth consecutive winning season under head coach Jon Coffman, who guided the Mastadons to a 19-13 (12-8 in Horizon League play) record last season after compiling 23 victories in 2023-24. Coffman returns two starters in 6-foot-3 guard Corey Hadnot II (9.0 ppg in 2024-25) and 6-foot-8 forward Maximus Nelson (7.3 ppg). Surrounding those two is a handful of freshmen and a mix of experienced transfers headlined by former Denver guard DeAndre Craig (13.5 ppg).

‘Dons to play Utah in November. First meeting with the Utes since 2015. #FeelTheRumble #HLMBB pic.twitter.com/2NX5eYnvd7
— Purdue Fort Wayne Mastodons Basketball (@MastodonMBB) July 21, 2025

The Nov. 18 matchup will mark the third meeting between the Runnin' Utes and Mastodons since 2003. Utah was victorious the last time the two schools crossed paths on Dec. 5, 2015, when Jakob Poeltl and Kyle Kuzma combined for 37 points and 14 rebounds in a 96-79 win at the Huntsman Center.