All articles tagged with #purdue boilermakers
Arizona roared back from a halftime deficit to beat Purdue 79-64 in the West Regional Final, reaching the Final Four for the first time since 2001, as fans and notable figures flooded X (formerly Twitter) with celebratory reactions and praise for coach Tommy Lloyd and the program.
Arizona outscored Purdue decisively in the second half, flipping a 7-point halftime lead into a 79-64 Elite Eight win and ending Purdue’s bid to return to the Final Four. Purdue’s offense cooled dramatically after halftime (only 1-for-8 from deep in the second half, 9-for-28 for the game) as key moments—Trey Kaufman-Renn picking up his third foul early and Braden Smith’s ankle injury—hampered the Boilermakers. Oscar Cluff led Purdue with 14 points and 10 rebounds and earned JWMPOTG honors, but the season closed with a tough defeat to a strong Arizona squad.
In San Jose, Purdue (30-8) faces No. 1 Arizona (35-2) in the NCAA Elite Eight, aiming for a second Final Four in three seasons. Purdue remains the top offense per KenPom but needs improved 3-point shooting after a rough night from deep; Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith carry the scoring load, with Trey Kaufman-Renn trending at 21.3 PPG on 64% shooting in the tournament and Oscar Cluff providing inside heft. Arizona, a high-scoring, elite-efficient team, uses a low-volume 3-point approach but excels on the glass and interior defense, led by a strong frontcourt. Purdue must avoid foul trouble for its big men, generate double-digit threes, and rely on Smith to match Arizona’s physicality. On3 projects a tight, high-level clash with Arizona likely to edge Purdue 82-78.
Top-seeded Arizona (35-2) faces second-seeded Purdue (30-8) in the West Region Elite Eight at SAP Center in San Jose, with a potential Final Four berth on the line. The game is slated for about 5:49 p.m. PT on CBS, with NCAA.com streaming and Wildcats Radio 1290 AM providing radio coverage. Arizona is a 5.5-point favorite with an over/under of 153.5, per FanDuel, and KenPom gives UA a 66 percent chance to win. Follow SB Nation’s Arizona Desert Swarm for pregame notes, live updates and postgame analysis via X.
Sweet 16 thriller: Purdue beat Texas 79-77 on a game-winning tip-in by Trey Kaufman‑Renn with 0.7 seconds left, after a shove on Swain in the paint—no foul was called, prompting debate about officiating. If a foul had been called, Texas would have shot free throws and possibly won. Purdue, which drew 18 fouls to Texas's 14, advances to face Arizona; Kaufman‑Renn had 20 points and eight rebounds. Reactions ranged from shock to critique of the call; comments from players and coaches, including Matt Painter and Sean Miller, were noted.
Former NBA star Charles Barkley criticized Texas coach Sean Miller for benching their top rebounder, Matas Vokietaitis, on the final possession, allowing Purdue to grab an offensive board and win with a tip-in at 0.7 seconds. Miller defended the decision, saying fouls and matchup concerns factored in, while Barkley called it a costly mistake; Texas had tied at 77 with 11 seconds left but couldn't force overtime in the Sweet 16 loss.
Texas battled injuries to key players and a late surge from Tramon Mark (29 points) and Jordan Pope (12) but Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn scored 20 and tipped in the winner with 0.9 seconds left, giving the Boilermakers a 79-77 victory in the Sweet 16. The game featured physical post play, turnovers that favored Purdue, and a dramatic finish that denied Texas a spot in the Elite Eight.
Trey Kaufman-Renn tipped in Braden Smith's miss with 0.7 seconds left to lift Purdue past Texas 79-77 in the Sweet 16, sending the Boilermakers to the Elite Eight against Arizona. Kaufman-Renn had 20 points and eight rebounds, while Texas guard Tramon Mark poured in 29; the Longhorns tied the game moments earlier on a late 3-point play by Dailyn Swain.
On CBS, Charles Barkley criticized Texas coach Sean Miller for not inserting Matas Vokietaitis for the final possession against Purdue, arguing the big man’s rebounding presence could have prevented the game-ending offensive board after Vokietaitis fouled out. Purdue sealed the win with Kaufman-Renn’s tips-in after a Braden Smith miss; Tramon Mark led Texas with 29 points as the Longhorns finished 21-15 in Miller’s first season. Purdue advances to face Arizona or Arkansas in the Elite Eight.
Texas guard Camden Heide, a Purdue transfer seeking a bigger role under coach Sean Miller, delivered a late corner 3 to beat Gonzaga and send Texas to the Sweet 16, a moment that sits alongside his Purdue memories. In 34 games this season he’s averaging about 22.4 minutes and 5.9 points on 50% shooting (46.2% from 3), and has contributed by sharing Purdue scouting insights with his teammates. Heide says he’s grateful for both programs and will always feel connected to being a Boilermaker.
In the NCAA Tournament's second round, Purdue is favored over Miami in a high-scoring matchup. The predicted total is around 147.5, with Purdue -7.5 and Miami +7.5 on the spread. The piece recommends the Over 147.5 as the best bet and features a Miami-Purdue same-game parlay including Fletcher Loyer Over 2.5 three-pointers and Purdue moneyline, along with player props (Loyer points, Braden Smith assists, Oscar Cluff rebounds) depending on your risk tolerance.
Purdue is favored to blow out No. 15 Queens University in the NCAA Tournament first round, with a projected spread of -25.5 as the No. 2 Boilermakers rely on a historically elite offense and Queens’ weak defense. The article recommends Purdue -25.5 (-110) as the best bet, and also suggests a same-game parlay featuring Purdue bench players Jack Benter and Daniel Jacobson plus Omer Mayer. Tip-off is 7:35 p.m. ET at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis on truTV, with odds subject to change and coverage noting Purdue’s tournament pedigree and Queens’ struggle against high-major opponents.
Anonymous Big Ten coaches say Purdue’s Big Ten Tournament title, plus Oscar Cluff’s improved post play and a sharp supporting cast around Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Trey Kaufman-Renn, makes the Boilers a credible national-title threat, a view echoed by Clark Kellogg who predicted a title run. The buzz comes after Purdue’s mid-season wobble and a strong finish that rekindled championship optimism.
Purdue defeated Michigan 80-72 to win the Big Ten Tournament in Chicago, led by Oscar Cluff's 21 points and Trey Kaufman-Renn's 20, with Braden Smith adding 14 points and 11 assists as Purdue improves to 27-8 and Michigan (31-3) eyes NCAA seeding.
Purdue, seeded 7th, defeated Nebraska 74-58 in the Big Ten tournament quarterfinals in Chicago to move into the semifinals. The Boilermakers jumped out to a 13-3 lead and led 41-28 at halftime, then held on as Nebraska trimmed the margin late. Fletcher Loyer led Purdue with 19 points, while Pryce Sandfort and Rienk Mast topped Nebraska’s scoring. Nebraska’s loss ends its run in the conference tournament and sets up their wait for Selection Sunday to learn their NCAA Tournament fate.