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#5 Purdue Remains Undefeated in Big Ten Play with Win Over Penn State#5 Purdue Remains Undefeated in Big Ten Play with Win Over Penn State
Jacob Wright/Purdue Athletics

#5 Purdue Remains Undefeated in Big Ten Play with Win Over Penn State

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#5 Purdue 93, Penn State 85 (Postgame Notes)

  • Purdue improved to 15-1 overall and 5-0 in the Big Ten Conference with a 93-85 win over Penn State in front of the 99th straight sellout in Mackey Arena.
  • The 15-1 record matches Purdue’s best 16-game start in school history, done six other times, including in the 2022-23 season. It’s the third time under Matt Painter that Purdue has started 15-1 (2025-26, 2022-23, 2010-11).
  • Purdue’s 5-0 mark in league play is the best mark since the 2017-18 team started 12-0 in Big Ten play.
  • Since the start of the 2022-23 season, Purdue is now 27-3 (.900) in the month of January, the second-best record in the country (Saint Mary’s – 25-0).
  • The win was the 150th in Mackey Arena against Big Ten teams for head coach Matt Painter, now with a 150-37 (.802) in home games against Big Ten opposition.
  • Purdue’s senior class won its 50th Big Ten game, now owning a 50-15 (.769) league record.
  • The seven-game win streak is the second win streak this season of at least seven games. Purdue won the first eight games of the season.
  • Purdue tied a school record, committing just three turnovers. In last year’s game against Penn State, the Boilermakers committed 24 turnovers.
  • In addition, Purdue had 25 assists, for an assist/turnover ratio of 8.33 (25 / 3), the highest assist-to-turnover ratio in a game in school history.
  • Purdue has won 11 straight games when making double-digit 3-pointers. The Boilermakers went 11-of-29 (.379) from long range.
  • Purdue’s 50 points in the paint were the eighth most points scored in the paint during the Matt Painter era.
  • Purdue had four players score at least 15 points in game for the first time since Feb. 6, 2020, vs. Iowa. It marks the first time since March 2, 2002, that Purdue had four players score at least 16 points in a game (Smith – 26, Cluff – 23, Loyer – 17, Cox – 16).
  • Braden Smith scored 26 points with 14 assists and two steals, shooting 11-of-18 from the field and 4-of-8 from 3-point range. Smith surpassed 1,600 career points in the victory. Smith was responsible via points (26) and assists (32) for 58 of Purdue’s 93 points (62.4 percent).
  • Smith becomes the first Big Ten player in at least 20 years to have at least 26 points and 14 assists in a game. It marks his fifth 20-point, 10-assist game during his career. Prior to his arrival, there had been two 20-point, 10-assist games in school history and none since the 1987-88 season.
  • Smith has had eight career games of 14 or more assists, the most in Big Ten Conference history by five games (Magic Johnson – 3).
  • Smith now has 32 career 10-assist games, tied for the fifth most in NCAA history. In addition, his 22 point-assist double-doubles are tied for the third most in the last 20 years.
  • Smith moved into 15th place on the NCAA’s career assists list, now with 914. He needs 36 assists to move into the top 10.
  • In league play, Smith is averaging 18.8 points per game, 10.6 assists per game and 2.2 steals per game, while shooting 57.8 percent from the field and 50.0 percent from 3-point range.
  • Oscar Cluff scored 23 points (14 in the 2nd half) with seven rebounds and two assists, going 10-of-11 from the field. Cluff is shooting 74.5 percent from the field (79-of-106).
  • Fletcher Loyer scored 17 points, making 4-of-8 from 3-point range. Purdue is now 20-0 during his career when he makes four or more 3-pointers in a game.
  • Loyer surpassed 1,500 career points in the victory and moved into 5th place on the school’s career 3-pointers made list (240).
  • J. Cox scored 16 points with four rebounds. Over his last five games, Cox is averaging 11.8 points per game.

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — Braden Smith had 26 points and 14 assists and Oscar Cluff had 23 points to lead No. 5 Purdue to a 93-85 win against Penn State on Saturday.

Fletcher Loyer scored 17 and C.J. Cox 16 for the Boilermakers (15-1, 5-0 Big Ten), who won their seventh consecutive game.

Freddie Dilione V scored 25, Melih Tunca scored 14 and Ivan Juric had nine points and 10 rebounds for Penn State (9-7, O-5).

Leading by one at halftime, the Boilermakers opened the second half with a 15-5 advantage to go up 60-49. Penn State narrowed the deficit to seven points several times but could get no closer.

The Boilermakers shot 58% while the Nittany Lions made 57%. Penn State had a 28-27 rebounding advantage. Purdue committed just three turnovers while Penn State had 10. The Boilermakers biggest issue was making just 6 of 14 from the foul line. Penn State was 9 of 10 from the free-throw line.

The Nittany Lions were without leading scorer Kayden Mingo, who suffered an injury in practice on Monday and missed his second consecutive game. The freshman was averaging 14.9 points per game. Freshman reserve Tibor Mirtic also was sidelined after being injured in a 74-72 loss to No. 2 Michigan on Tuesday.

Smith scored 17 in the first half. The Nittany Lions had a 14-2 edge with points off the bench in the first half to keep things close. They finished with a 29-4 edge in points off the bench.