GAMEDAY INFORMATION -- GAME 35
[4 seed] Purdue (23-11) vs. [12 seed] McNeese (28-6)
Saturday, March 22, 2025 | 12:10 p.m. ET
Providence, Rhode Island | Amica Mutual Pavilion (11,648)
TELEVISION: CBS (Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn)
RADIO: Purdue Global Radio Network (Rob Blackman, Bobby Riddell)
ABOUT GAMEDAY
• The fourth-seeded Boilermakers look for another appearance in the Sweet 16 when it battles McNeese in the Round of 32 on Saturday in Providence, Rhode Island. Purdue is looking for its sixth Sweet 16 appearance in its last eight seasons. A win over McNeese will bring Purdue back to Indianapolis and Lucas Oil Stadium for the Midwest Regional rounds, starting on Friday.
THE NOTES TO KNOW
MOVING ON: Purdue advanced to the NCAA Tournament second round with a 75-63 victory over 13th-seeded High Point in Thursday's opening round in Providence.
• The Boilermakers took control of the game with a 17-7 run over the last nine minutes of the first half and never trailed in the second half for their 23rd win of the season.
GOOD NEWS IN ROUND TWO: The last five times that Purdue has advanced to the second round, the Boilermakers reached at least the Sweet 16 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024). Purdue hasn't lost a round-two game since a 63-60 loss to No. 2-seed Kansas in the 2012 Tournament.
ONE OF ONE: Braden Smith has become the first player in NCAA history to have scored at least 1,300 points, dish out 700 assists and grab 500 rebounds by the end of his junior campaign.
• In the win over High Point, Smith became just the second player in NCAA history (Ga. Tech's Kenny Anderson, 1989-90). to have at least 500 points, 275 assists, 150 rebounds and 75 steals in a season.
• With seven more assists, Smith will become the second player in NCAA history with 500 points, 300 assists and 150 rebounds in a season (Murray State's Ja Morant).
THE WINNING WAYS: Since the 2016-17 season, Purdue has won 15 NCAA Tournament games, tied for the fifth most nationally.
HOW SWEET IT IS: Purdue is aiming for its sixth Sweet-16 appearance in the last eight seasons, advancing the second weekend in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2024.
PAINTER AMONG ELITE: Matt Painter is one of five coaches in America to have at least 16 NCAA Tournament berths in the last 18 tournaments (Few, Self, Izzo, Calipari, Painter).
ALL-AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: With Braden Smith garnering first-team All-America honors this season, Purdue has had an All-American in seven of the last nine seasons.
BIG MAN U IS ALSO GUARD U: Purdue has long been called "Big Man U", but it also has a legitimate claim to "Guard U" as well.
• Purdue has had three different consensus All-American guards since the 2018-19 seasons (Carsen Edwards, Jaden Ivey, Braden Smith), being one-of-two schools to accomplish that.
THE OTHER NOTABLES: Purdue won its 50th game all-time in the NCAA Tournament, now owning a 50-35 record all-time. Matt Painter is 23-15 at Purdue during the NCAA Tournament.
• Purdue outrebounded High Point by a 45-24 advantage, the fourth time in the last two NCAA Tournaments (seven games) that Purdue had a plus-21 (or larger) rebound margin (+25 vs. Grambling; +23 vs. Utah State; +21 vs. Tennessee; +21 vs. High Point).
• Purdue's 19 offensive rebounds were the fifth most in an NCAA Tournament game in school history. The Boilermakers had 20 second-chance points.
• Purdue's seven turnovers tied for its fewest in an NCAA Tournament game in school history.
• Purdue had two players score at least 20 points in an NCAA Tournament for the first time since Carsen Edwards (29) and Ryan Cline (27) surpassed 20 points each against Tennessee in the 2019 Sweet 16. Trey Kaufman-Renn (21) and Braden Smith (20) each had at least 20 points.
• Trey Kaufman-Renn tallied his 18th, 20-point game of the season with a 21-point, eight-rebound effort. He is now tied for the Big Ten lead in 20-point games.
• Trey Kaufman-Renn now has 687 points, moving past Carsen Edwards (2018; 686 points) into 13th place on the school's single-season points list.
• Over his last
• Camden Heide recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Heide went 2-of-4 from 3-point range, and is now 11-of-18 (.611) from long distance in the last nine games.
• When Purdue holds foes to 69 or fewer points this season, the Boilermakers are 13-0. When foes score 70 or more points, Purdue is just 10-11. Purdue has won 34 straight games when holding foes under 70 points (last loss: Fairleigh Dickinson -- 2023 NCAA 1st rd.).
• The senior class, consisting of Caleb Furst, won its 115th career game against High Point, tied for fourth-most wins by a senior class in Big Ten history (2013 Ohio State - 123; 2014 Ohio State - 119; 2012 Ohio State - 116).
[4 seed] Purdue (23-11) vs. [12 seed] McNeese (28-6)
Saturday, March 22, 2025 | 12:10 p.m. ET
Providence, Rhode Island | Amica Mutual Pavilion (11,648)
TELEVISION: CBS (Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn)
RADIO: Purdue Global Radio Network (Rob Blackman, Bobby Riddell)
ABOUT GAMEDAY
• The fourth-seeded Boilermakers look for another appearance in the Sweet 16 when it battles McNeese in the Round of 32 on Saturday in Providence, Rhode Island. Purdue is looking for its sixth Sweet 16 appearance in its last eight seasons. A win over McNeese will bring Purdue back to Indianapolis and Lucas Oil Stadium for the Midwest Regional rounds, starting on Friday.
THE NOTES TO KNOW
MOVING ON: Purdue advanced to the NCAA Tournament second round with a 75-63 victory over 13th-seeded High Point in Thursday's opening round in Providence.
• The Boilermakers took control of the game with a 17-7 run over the last nine minutes of the first half and never trailed in the second half for their 23rd win of the season.
GOOD NEWS IN ROUND TWO: The last five times that Purdue has advanced to the second round, the Boilermakers reached at least the Sweet 16 (2017, 2018, 2019, 2022, 2024). Purdue hasn't lost a round-two game since a 63-60 loss to No. 2-seed Kansas in the 2012 Tournament.
ONE OF ONE: Braden Smith has become the first player in NCAA history to have scored at least 1,300 points, dish out 700 assists and grab 500 rebounds by the end of his junior campaign.
• In the win over High Point, Smith became just the second player in NCAA history (Ga. Tech's Kenny Anderson, 1989-90). to have at least 500 points, 275 assists, 150 rebounds and 75 steals in a season.
• With seven more assists, Smith will become the second player in NCAA history with 500 points, 300 assists and 150 rebounds in a season (Murray State's Ja Morant).
THE WINNING WAYS: Since the 2016-17 season, Purdue has won 15 NCAA Tournament games, tied for the fifth most nationally.
HOW SWEET IT IS: Purdue is aiming for its sixth Sweet-16 appearance in the last eight seasons, advancing the second weekend in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2024.
PAINTER AMONG ELITE: Matt Painter is one of five coaches in America to have at least 16 NCAA Tournament berths in the last 18 tournaments (Few, Self, Izzo, Calipari, Painter).
ALL-AMERICAN UNIVERSITY: With Braden Smith garnering first-team All-America honors this season, Purdue has had an All-American in seven of the last nine seasons.
BIG MAN U IS ALSO GUARD U: Purdue has long been called "Big Man U", but it also has a legitimate claim to "Guard U" as well.
• Purdue has had three different consensus All-American guards since the 2018-19 seasons (Carsen Edwards, Jaden Ivey, Braden Smith), being one-of-two schools to accomplish that.
THE OTHER NOTABLES: Purdue won its 50th game all-time in the NCAA Tournament, now owning a 50-35 record all-time. Matt Painter is 23-15 at Purdue during the NCAA Tournament.
• Purdue outrebounded High Point by a 45-24 advantage, the fourth time in the last two NCAA Tournaments (seven games) that Purdue had a plus-21 (or larger) rebound margin (+25 vs. Grambling; +23 vs. Utah State; +21 vs. Tennessee; +21 vs. High Point).
• Purdue's 19 offensive rebounds were the fifth most in an NCAA Tournament game in school history. The Boilermakers had 20 second-chance points.
• Purdue's seven turnovers tied for its fewest in an NCAA Tournament game in school history.
• Purdue had two players score at least 20 points in an NCAA Tournament for the first time since Carsen Edwards (29) and Ryan Cline (27) surpassed 20 points each against Tennessee in the 2019 Sweet 16. Trey Kaufman-Renn (21) and Braden Smith (20) each had at least 20 points.
• Trey Kaufman-Renn tallied his 18th, 20-point game of the season with a 21-point, eight-rebound effort. He is now tied for the Big Ten lead in 20-point games.
• Trey Kaufman-Renn now has 687 points, moving past Carsen Edwards (2018; 686 points) into 13th place on the school's single-season points list.
• Over his last
• Camden Heide recorded his first career double-double with 11 points and 10 rebounds. Heide went 2-of-4 from 3-point range, and is now 11-of-18 (.611) from long distance in the last nine games.
• When Purdue holds foes to 69 or fewer points this season, the Boilermakers are 13-0. When foes score 70 or more points, Purdue is just 10-11. Purdue has won 34 straight games when holding foes under 70 points (last loss: Fairleigh Dickinson -- 2023 NCAA 1st rd.).
• The senior class, consisting of Caleb Furst, won its 115th career game against High Point, tied for fourth-most wins by a senior class in Big Ten history (2013 Ohio State - 123; 2014 Ohio State - 119; 2012 Ohio State - 116).