WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Purdue junior point guard Braden Smith has been named 1-of-10 semifinalists for the Bob Cousy, given to the nation's top point guard by the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame.
Smith is one of three Big Ten players named to the list, joined by Penn State's Ace Baldwin and Rutgers' Dylan Harper. Others on the semifinal list are Alabama's Mark Sears, Florida's Walter Clayton Jr., Gonzaga's Ryan Nembhard, Iowa State's Keshon Gilbert, Marquette's Kam Jones, Tennessee's Zakai Ziegler and West Virginia's Javon Small.
Smith and Sears were finalists a year ago.
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.
Purdue has had two players win three positional awards in the history of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame awards (started in 2015). Carsen Edwards won the Jerry West Award in 2018, while Zach Edey won the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award in 2023 and 2024.
Only Gonzaga, Duke and Kentucky have had three different positions with positional awards.
Smith and his teammates face Iowa on Tuesday night in Iowa City, Iowa.
Smith is one of three Big Ten players named to the list, joined by Penn State's Ace Baldwin and Rutgers' Dylan Harper. Others on the semifinal list are Alabama's Mark Sears, Florida's Walter Clayton Jr., Gonzaga's Ryan Nembhard, Iowa State's Keshon Gilbert, Marquette's Kam Jones, Tennessee's Zakai Ziegler and West Virginia's Javon Small.
Smith and Sears were finalists a year ago.
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.
Purdue has had two players win three positional awards in the history of the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame awards (started in 2015). Carsen Edwards won the Jerry West Award in 2018, while Zach Edey won the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Award in 2023 and 2024.
Only Gonzaga, Duke and Kentucky have had three different positions with positional awards.
Smith and his teammates face Iowa on Tuesday night in Iowa City, Iowa.