[2 seed] PURDUE 79, [11 seed] TEXAS 77 (Postgame Notes)
- Second-seeded Purdue defeated 11th-seeded Texas 79-77 in the West Regional Semifinals, advancing to its second Elite Eight in the last three years and its third Elite Eight in the last seven tournaments.
- Prior to the 2019 NCAA Tournament, the last Elite Eight appearance came in 2000. Purdue has now made the Elite Eight in 2019, 2024 and 2026.
- Purdue improved to 30-8 overall, winning its seventh straight game. It marked the third time in school history that Purdue has won 30 games (2018, 2024, 2026). Purdue’s seven-game winning streak is the fourth-longest winning streak in the country.
- Purdue’s three Elite Eight appearances since 2019 are tied for the second most nationally (Duke – 4; Purdue, Gonzaga, Houston – 3).
- Since the start of the 2023-24 NCAA Tournament, Purdue is now 10-2 in the NCAA Tournament, currently the most wins in the NCAA Tournament over the last three years (Alabama, Connecticut, Duke, Houston – 9).
- Purdue is 19-8 over the last 10 seasons (since 2017) in the NCAA Tournament. The 19 victories are the fourth most nationally (Gonzaga – 24; Duke, Houston – 21).
- Purdue improved to 18-3 in games played away from Mackey Arena, and is now 10-0 in neutral-site games this season.
- Purdue is a nation’s-best 41-9 (.820) in neutral-site games since the start of the 2021-22 season.
- Purdue’s senior class won its 117th game during their careers, the most in a four-year span in school history. It’s the third-most wins for a senior class in Big Ten history (2013 – Ohio State, 123; 2014 – Ohio State, 119).
- Purdue’s four turnovers were its fewest in an NCAA Tournament game in school history. The previous record low was seven turnovers.
- The game was played within an 11-point span. Purdue’s largest lead was seven points, while Texas’ largest lead was four points. In the second half, the largest margin was four points.
- Trey Kaufman-Renn’s tip-in with 0.7 seconds left gave Purdue the 79-77 victory. It marked his second career game-winning shot in the last 10 seconds of the game, as his previous game-winner came against Indiana on Jan. 31, 2025.
- Kaufman-Renn scored 20 points with eight rebounds on 8-of-10 shooting from the field and 4-of-4 from the free throw line. Kaufman-Renn has scored at least 20 points in four of his last six NCAA Tournament games, averaging 20.2 points and 9.0 rebounds during that span.
- Kaufman-Renn now has 514 points on the season. Purdue now has three players over 500 points for the second time ever (2018).
- Fletcher Loyer scored 18 points and has scored in double-figures in 10 straight games, going 4-of-8 from 3-point range. He has made at least two 3-pointers in 18 straight games. Loyer has 110, 3-pointers on the season, needing two trifectas to move into second place on the Purdue single-season list. Loyer is now 64-of-130 (.492) from deep in the last 18 games.
- Braden Smith scored 16 points with five assists and two steals. Smith now has 1,096 career assists.
- Purdue’s starting five scored 75 of Purdue’s 79 points with all five starters in double-figures.
SAN JOSE, Calif. (AP) — Trey Kaufman-Renn has heard coach Matt Painter remind the Boilermakers so many times during his four years at Purdue that it’s not always the first shot of a possession that matters most.
“It’s those tip-ins at the end of the games,” Kaufman-Renn recalled of the message. “He said that my four years here, so it’s kind of cool to experience that.”
Yes, Kaufman-Renn’s quick hands at the rim extended a special NCAA Tournament run for Purdue.
Kaufman-Renn tipped in a miss by Braden Smith with 0.7 seconds left, and the No. 2-seed Boilermakers edged hobbling Texas star Tramon Mark and the 11th-seeded Longhorns 79-77 on Thursday night in the Sweet 16.
Texas (21-15) tied it moments earlier when Dailyn Swain made a driving layup, was fouled and converted the three-point play with 11.9 seconds to go. Smith had scored on his own drive with 38 seconds remaining and finished with 16 points.
Kaufman-Renn hit his first seven shots — going 6 for 6 and grabbing five rebounds in the first half — on the way to 20 points. He was mobbed by teammates right after the final buzzer sounded at SAP Center.
Purdue will play top-seeded Arizona on Saturday night with a chance to advance to the Final Four.
Texas had subbed 7-foot center Matas Vokietaitis out of the game with 11 seconds left after Boilermakers big man Oscar Cluff had fouled out, giving Purdue a better opportunity in the paint. Kaufman-Renn got himself right under the front of the rim after Smith missed on his drive.
“The No. 1 thing for us to have a chance today was to rebound with Purdue,” Texas coach Sean Miller said. “I thought we really struggled to rebound on defense.”
Mark scored 29 for the Longhorns, grimacing and clearly in pain limping on his injured leg through the closing minutes when the sixth-year senior’s team needed him most. His points were the most by a Texas player in an NCAA Tournament game since Kevin Durant scored 30 against Southern California in the second round of the 2007 tournament.
Purdue (30-8) advances to Saturday’s Elite Eight game against either top-seeded Arizona (34-2) or No. 4 seed Arkansas (28-8), who were playing the late game in San Jose.
The teams traded baskets and chances most of the night.
Chendall Weaver scored off his offensive rebound with 1:03 to play pulling Texas within 73-72 after Smith had made only one of two free throws.
Vokietaitis hit a pair of free throws with 20 seconds left before Purdue’s C.J. Cox made two at the 19.4-second mark.
Smith’s drive
Smith thought he’d taken a winning shot, then was left beneath the basket to watch his teammate deliver.
“I was standing under the rim, I was like ‘Please get in there, please get in there,’ and it did,” said Smith, who also dished out five assists. “Trey tipped it perfectly and I was like ‘Thank God, thank God that went in.’”