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Loyer's Career High Leads #1 Purdue Past EvansvilleLoyer's Career High Leads #1 Purdue Past Evansville
Quan Nguyen/Purdue Athletics

Loyer's Career High Leads #1 Purdue Past Evansville

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THE BIG NUMBERS

30 & 7

Fletcher Loyer scored a career-high 30 points and tied a career high with seven 3-pointers. In four season openers, Loyer averaged 20.0 PPG.

11 for 769

Braden Smith dished out 11 assists, giving him 769 for his career, moving him into third on the Big Ten's career assists list.

22 vs. 7

Purdue dished out 22 assists (on 28 made field goals) against just seven turnovers. Seven different players had assists.

1st Start

Jack Benter earned his first career start in his first career game and contributed 11 points, 6 rebounds, 2 assists and a block.

30.0 % FG Def.

Evansville shot just 30.0 percent from the field (21-of-70) and was an icy 7-of-34 (.206) from 3-point range.

[1] Purdue 82, Evansville 51 (Postgame Notes)

  • 1-ranked Purdue began its season with an 82-51 win over Evansville in front of the 90th straight home sellout in Mackey Arena on Tuesday night.
  • The Boilermakers have won 13 straight season openers by an average of 29.7 points per game.
  • Purdue improved to 10-1 all-time in home games when ranked No. 1.
  • Purdue is now 32-4 (.889) at home against in-state teams under Matt Painter, having won 34 straight non-conference home games against in-state teams.
  • Matt Painter won career game 497 (22nd season), needing three wins for 500 in his career.
  • Purdue won its ongoing school-record 33rd straight non-conference home game.
  • Purdue played the opener without All-American Trey Kaufman-Renn, who is day-to-day with a hip injury.
  • Purdue went 13-of-29 (.448) from 3-point range and has now made at least 11, 3-pointers in five straight season openers.
  • Fletcher Loyer scored a career-high 30 points while tying a career high with seven 3-pointers. In four season openers, Loyer averaged 20.0 points per game and shot 19-of-33 (.576) from 3-point range.
  • Loyer also became the 10th player in school history to surpass 200 career made 3-pointers, now with 204.
  • Loyer has now made seven 3-pointers in back-to-back home games dating to last year.
  • Purdue improved to 23-2 when Loyer and Smith combine for 30 or more points.
  • Braden Smith recorded his 24th career 10-assist game with 11 assists in 30 minutes, against just one turnover. In the last two season openers, Smith has 26 assists.
  • Smith moved into 3rd place on the Big Ten’s career assists list (769), moving past Illinois’ Bruce Douglas. Smith now trails just Cassius Winston (890) and Mateen Cleaves (816).
  • Jack Benter earned his first career start and responded with 11 points, six rebounds, two assists and one block in 22 minutes of action.

I always try and get Fletcher shots, because as a smart basketball player, you find your best shooters. So, when you have the best shooter in the country on your team, it's pretty self-explanatory to find him wherever he is at.

Braden SmithPurdue Point Guard

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Fletcher Loyer opened his final college season by scoring a career high 30 points and preseason All-American Braden Smith added 11 assists as Purdue protected its first preseason No. 1 ranking with a rousing 82-51 season-opening rout over Evansville on Tuesday night.

Loyer was 8 of 11 from the field and made seven 3-pointers. Smith scored just six points but passed former Illinois star Bruce Douglas for third on the Big Ten’s career assists list. Smith increased his total to 769, four more than Douglas. Former Michigan State guard Matten Cleaves is second at 816.

Purdue has won 33 consecutive non-conference home games — this one despite playing without preseason all-conference forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who missed the game with an injured hip.

Joshua Hughes had 15 points and AJ Casey added 14 for Evansville, which faced the Boilermakers for the first time in 20 years. Defending Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year Connor Turnbull also sat out for an undisclosed reason.