Braden Smith Makes History as Purdue Basketball Steamrolls Queens in Thrilling March Madness Win
Listen, we all love a good Cinderella story when March Madness rolls around. We want the buzzer-beaters, the busted brackets, and the absolute chaos of a 15-seed shocking the world. But Friday night in Indianapolis? Purdue wasn’t having any of it. They took one look at the glass slipper and crushed it under a size-16 sneaker.
The No. 2 seed Boilermakers absolutely dismantled the Queens Royals 104-71 in a game that felt over before the popcorn even finished popping. But the real story wasn’t just the blowout—it was a kid from Indiana etching his name into the college basketball history books.
Braden Smith: The New Assist King of College Hoops
Let’s talk about Braden Smith for a second, because what we witnessed was nothing short of legendary. Heading into this first-round matchup, everyone knew Smith was within striking distance of a ghost. Duke legend Bobby Hurley’s NCAA career assist record of 1,076 had stood like an impenetrable fortress since 1993.
Well, the fortress just crumbled.
Smith didn’t just break the record; he shattered it with the kind of floor general mastery we rarely see anymore. He finished the night with 26 points, 8 dimes, and a new NCAA benchmark of 1,083 career assists. Think about the vision, the unselfishness, and the sheer basketball IQ it takes to rack up that many helpers. When he fed Trey Kaufman-Renn with just over 12 minutes left in the first half for his 1,077th assist, the building knew it. You could feel the emotion pouring out of the stands. A homegrown Indiana kid, whose mom was a former Miss Basketball, just became the greatest setup man in the history of the sport.
And let’s not forget the jersey swap lore. Earlier in the Big Ten Tournament, Smith ripped his No. 3 jersey in a moment of pure frustration—call it a “Superman” moment gone slightly wrong. He switched to No. 41, started draining shots, and hasn’t looked back. Breaking the all-time assist record in a backup jersey that is now the top-selling NIL item on campus? You literally cannot write a better script.
Purdue Basketball Puts on an Offensive Clinic
If you were a fan of Queens, bless your heart. The Royals—making their first-ever tournament appearance—ran into a buzzsaw. To their credit, Nasir Mann and Jordan Watford fought hard, dropping 10 points apiece. But asking them to slow down this Purdue offense was like asking a screen door to stop a hurricane.
Over the first 35 minutes of the game, the Boilermakers shot a video-game-like 63% from the floor and connected on 12-of-21 from beyond the arc. They opened the second half on a devastating 17-2 run that effectively turned the rest of the game into a glorified shootaround.
Trey Kaufman-Renn was an absolute bully in the paint, feasting on his way to 25 points and 9 rebounds. Whenever Queens collapsed the defense, out went the ball to Fletcher Loyer, who casually knocked down four three-pointers en route to 14 points. And then there’s Oscar Cluff. The Australian big man—whose basketball journey took him through junior colleges, Washington State, and South Dakota State—was everywhere. Cluff stuffed the stat sheet with 9 points, 11 boards, 5 assists, and 4 blocks.
What’s Next for the Boilermakers?
With this 104-71 demolition, Purdue pushes their winning streak to five games and sends a terrifying message to the rest of the West Regional bracket. They are firing on all cylinders, shooting the lights out, and playing with the swagger of a team that knows exactly who they are.
Up next? A Sunday date with the winner of Miami and Missouri. Whoever survives that matchup better bring their hard hats, because right now, this Purdue squad looks like an unstoppable freight train with Braden Smith comfortably sitting in the conductor’s seat.
March Madness is officially back, folks. And the Boilermakers are here to ruin your bracket.
