Braden Smith set a new career-high with 34 points, and Purdue rolls past the Rockets, 83-64.
Alongside Smith, Purdue's big three all flourished. Trey Kaufman-Renn finished the game with 23 points on 11 of 14 shooting from the floor. Fletcher Loyer knocked down four three-pointers on his way to 17 points on 11 shots.
Smith wasn't shy going for his early. Purdue started the game by hitting a pull-up three pointer from the top of the key.
He'd break career high with the ball out of his hand. Smith, who was successful creating space for Trey Kaufman-Renn all game by setting inverted screens for the big man, set a screen against Kaufman-Renn's man on the left wing and then popped open to the left corner where Kaufman-Renn tossed a pass over his head to a wide open Braden Smith.
The three by Smith, his sixth of the game, would give Smith 30 points on the day.
Braden Smith didn't just create shots for himself. In 39 minutes, Smith also racked up 12 assists for the double-double and grabbed 4 rebounds.
When it wasn't Smith, it was Kaufman-Renn
Toledo came into the game one of the worst teams in the country defending inside the paint. Kaufman-Renn took advantage of it.
Kaufman-Renn was a crisp 11 of 14 from the floor, leaning on his ability to play with his back against the basket. Kaufman-Renn also led Purdue with 6 rebounds, playing 28 minutes after getting in foul trouble in the first half.
The 23 points is his highest point total in December. When Kaufman-Renn has scored the ball, Purdue has won. In the last four wins, Kaufman-Renn has broken the 20 point mark.
Loyer in a flurry
Fletcher Loyer got going on an old-fashioned three-pointer after one of his missed threes ended up back in his hands off a pass from Braden Smith.
Loyer took the pass, dropped to above the free throw line, absorbed contact, anticipated a whistle, and threw up a one handed, off-balanced shot towards the hoop. The shot went in and the free throw followed.
Then Loyer got going, knocking down 4 of his 7 three-point attempts including a transition three that extended Purdue's lead in the first half ahead of Purdue's 39-28 halftime lead.
Gicarri Harris takes off
Harris ended 2024 with one of his better performances of the season. On a night where Camden Heide and Myles Colvin against combined to go for zero points, Purdue's freshmen guards played well.
Harris in particuclar showed off his ability to make plays at both ends. Harris had 4 points, and did his damage on transition on both ends.
Harris's first basket came on a 2 on 1 breakaway where Braden Smith found Harris up at the rim. Harris made a nice catch and lay up off the lob for his first basket. Then got to the rim again, taking a rebound and pushing up the floor ahead of the defense.
At the other end, Harris chased down a breakaway for Toledo after a Purdue turnover. It looked like Toledo would have an open lay up at the rim, instead Harris caught up to the ball, skied to the ball and blocked it just before hitting backboard. It was so close that it was initially ruled a goaltend before a review changed the calls minutes later.
Caleb Furst effort boosts Purdue
With Will Berg injured, and Purdue desperate for any rebounding, Caleb Furst played some of his best minutes of the season. Furst had just 2 points and missed both his shots in the game, including another missed dunk attempt, but he had 5 rebounds in 21 minutes and had a team-high +28 in plus/minus.
Furst's defense and energy were apparent from teh start. The next highest plus/minus was Braden Smith at +20.
With Heide and Colvin both struggling to produce of late, Furst could work his way back in the starting lineup as Big Ten play starts up in earnest later this week.
Boiler Upload is now a partner with Seatgeek. Use Discount code is BOILERUPLOADRIVALS to get $20 off your first purchase at Seatgeek.com
Boiler Upload is an affiliate partner with Homefield Apparel, a premium collegiate apparel brand based in Indianapolis. They feature licensed vintage designs for over 150 different colleges and universities from the Colorado School of Mines all the way to most of the Big Ten. This, of course, includes Purdue. I can speak from experience that their Purdue line is fabulous, including the awesome 1967 Rose Bowl retro tee. Visit Homefield and use code BOILERUPLOAD for a discount on their unique designs.
