In a strong performance at the Big Ten Tournament, Braden Smith's remarkable 16 assists propelled the No. 18 Purdue Boilermakers to an 81-68 victory against the Northwestern Wildcats on Thursday at the United Center in Chicago. This win advances Purdue to the quarterfinals of the tournament, where they will face No. 11 Nebraska next.
Smith's achievement has solidified his place in NCAA history, as he now ranks second on the all-time assists list with 1,045 assists over 142 career games. "It's a great honor to be up there with those names," said Smith. He surpassed former players Ed Cota and Chris Corchiani earlier in the game. Bobby Hurley remains at the top with 1,076 assists in 140 games for Duke.
Purdue showcased its dominance in the paint, out-rebounding Northwestern 35-23 and securing an impressive 38-18 advantage in points within the key. Trey Kaufman-Renn and Oscar Cluff were significant contributors, each finishing with 19 points. Cluff also recorded a double-double with 10 rebounds.
"We did a great job tonight controlling the boards and executing our game plan," said Cluff after the game.
Northwestern, who advanced to the matchup after victories over Penn State and Indiana, struggled without key player Arrinten Page, a 6-foot-11 forward sidelined for the fourth consecutive game due to illness. As a result, the Boilermakers took full advantage of their size and strength inside. Nick Martinelli led Northwestern with 25 points, while teammate Jayden Reid contributed 19 points and nine assists.
The game shifted momentum early, with Purdue jumping to a commanding 38-15 lead, thanks to a 15-3 scoring run. Kaufman-Renn initiated this decisive streak with a well-timed jumper from the paint, and Omer Mayer closed it with a fast-break layup following a turnover from Northwestern.
"We wanted to set the tone early, and I think we did that with our defense and rebounding," Smith added.
The Boilermakers took a commanding 45-21 lead into halftime, a stark contrast to their regular-season encounter, where they found themselves trailing 34-25 at the half before ultimately winning 70-66. The stark difference came from their aggressive approach in the interior, where they outscored the Wildcats 22-6 in the paint during the first half.
Looking ahead, Purdue is set to take on Nebraska, who received a bye in the early rounds of the tournament. The teams have already met once this season, where Purdue edged out a thrilling 80-77 overtime victory back in February. In that matchup, Kaufman-Renn rebounded exceptionally well, securing a career-high 19 boards which helped Purdue dominate the glass 54-37.
As Purdue looks to continue their tournament run, their next game against Nebraska on Friday promises to be another exciting chapter in this season's thrilling Big Ten Tournament. Fans will be watching closely as the Boilermakers seek to build on their recent success and maintain their momentum.