WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue juniors Trey Kaufman-Renn and Braden Smith have been selected as 1-of-50 semifinalists for the Oscar Robertson Trophy, given to the nation's player by the United States Basketball Writers Association (USBWA).
The winner will be announced at the Final Four in San Antonio, with a formal presentation to follow at the USBWA awards luncheon hosted by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis. A final watch list will be released in early March.
Purdue is looking to have a repeat winner for the third straight year as Zach Edey won the award following both the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Kaufman-Renn, a forward from Sellersburg, Indiana, is averaging 18.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, while shooting 60.4 percent from the field. He has twice been named Big Ten Player of the Week and was selected as the Naismith Trophy National Player of the Week for his role in wins at Washington and No. 13 Oregon.
Kaufman-Renn is the only player nationally to average at least 18 points, six rebounds and two assists per game while shooting at least 60 percent from the field. In Big Ten history, only three other players have reached those marks (Zach Edey, Evan Eschmeyer and Chris Webber).
Kaufman-Renn has scored in double-figures in every game and been at his best against ranked teams, averaging 18.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists in seven games against ranked teams. He has scored at least 20 points in eight games this season, including a career-high 26 points with eight rebounds and four assists against No. 2 Alabama. He matched that career high with a 26-point showing against Ohio State and has recorded the first double-doubles of his career against No. 23 Ole Miss (25 pts, 13 rebs) and No. 13 Oregon (23 pts, 11 rebs).
He has started every game of the last two seasons, and has scored 812 points with 357 rebounds in 96 career games.
A Westfield, Indiana, native Smith is having one of the top seasons thus far by a point guard in NCAA history, averaging 15.8 points, 8.8 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game, while shooting 44.0 percent from the field, 38.2 percent from 3-point range and 83.9 percent from the free throw line. He is on pace to become the first player since California's Jason Kidd in 1993-94 to average at least 15.0 points, 8.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game.
Smith has already recorded eight double-doubles on the season, including four games of at least 20 points and 10 assists. Prior to this season, there had been two 20-point, 10-assist games in Purdue history. He scored a career-high 34 points with 12 assists in a win over Toledo in late December, a victory that started a stretch of nine wins in 10 games for the Boilermakers.
Smith just wrapped up a January where he scored 158 points, 82 assists and 28 steals, becoming the first player (men's or women's college basketball) this century with at least 150 points, 80 assists and 25 steals in a calendar month.
So far this season, Smith is the only player in the country to amass 325 points, 175 assists and 100 rebounds. He ranks third nationally in assists and eighth in steals, attempting to become the first Big Ten player to lead the league in both since Ohio State's Mike Conley Jr., in 2006-07.
Earlier today, Smith was named one of 10 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the nation's top point guard.
The Boilermakers face Iowa on Tuesday night.
The winner will be announced at the Final Four in San Antonio, with a formal presentation to follow at the USBWA awards luncheon hosted by the Missouri Athletic Club in St. Louis. A final watch list will be released in early March.
Purdue is looking to have a repeat winner for the third straight year as Zach Edey won the award following both the 2023 and 2024 seasons.
Kaufman-Renn, a forward from Sellersburg, Indiana, is averaging 18.4 points, 6.2 rebounds and 2.4 assists per game, while shooting 60.4 percent from the field. He has twice been named Big Ten Player of the Week and was selected as the Naismith Trophy National Player of the Week for his role in wins at Washington and No. 13 Oregon.
Kaufman-Renn is the only player nationally to average at least 18 points, six rebounds and two assists per game while shooting at least 60 percent from the field. In Big Ten history, only three other players have reached those marks (Zach Edey, Evan Eschmeyer and Chris Webber).
Kaufman-Renn has scored in double-figures in every game and been at his best against ranked teams, averaging 18.7 points, 7.9 rebounds and 2.4 assists in seven games against ranked teams. He has scored at least 20 points in eight games this season, including a career-high 26 points with eight rebounds and four assists against No. 2 Alabama. He matched that career high with a 26-point showing against Ohio State and has recorded the first double-doubles of his career against No. 23 Ole Miss (25 pts, 13 rebs) and No. 13 Oregon (23 pts, 11 rebs).
He has started every game of the last two seasons, and has scored 812 points with 357 rebounds in 96 career games.
A Westfield, Indiana, native Smith is having one of the top seasons thus far by a point guard in NCAA history, averaging 15.8 points, 8.8 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.6 steals per game, while shooting 44.0 percent from the field, 38.2 percent from 3-point range and 83.9 percent from the free throw line. He is on pace to become the first player since California's Jason Kidd in 1993-94 to average at least 15.0 points, 8.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.5 steals per game.
Smith has already recorded eight double-doubles on the season, including four games of at least 20 points and 10 assists. Prior to this season, there had been two 20-point, 10-assist games in Purdue history. He scored a career-high 34 points with 12 assists in a win over Toledo in late December, a victory that started a stretch of nine wins in 10 games for the Boilermakers.
Smith just wrapped up a January where he scored 158 points, 82 assists and 28 steals, becoming the first player (men's or women's college basketball) this century with at least 150 points, 80 assists and 25 steals in a calendar month.
So far this season, Smith is the only player in the country to amass 325 points, 175 assists and 100 rebounds. He ranks third nationally in assists and eighth in steals, attempting to become the first Big Ten player to lead the league in both since Ohio State's Mike Conley Jr., in 2006-07.
Earlier today, Smith was named one of 10 finalists for the Bob Cousy Award, given to the nation's top point guard.
The Boilermakers face Iowa on Tuesday night.