Braden Smith Has Rare Performance in Purdue's Win Over Maryland
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Braden Smith didn't just help lead Purdue to an 83-78 victory over Maryland on Sunday at Mackey Arena, he also accomplished a feat that hadn't been done by a player in the program in nearly 40 years.
Smith concluded Sunday's contest with 24 points and 10 assists. He became the first player at Purdue since Troy Lewis to record a 20-point, 10-assist double-double in a game. Lewis' came in a February 1988 game.
Smith also connected of nine-of-15 shots from the floor, including five-of-nine from 3-point range. He was also credited with four rebounds, two steals and a block for the Boilermakers.
Best point guard in America.
— Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) December 8, 2024
First 20-10 point-assist game in 36 years. pic.twitter.com/3eDUSTta1u
Smith has continued to shine for Purdue through the first 10 games of the season. He's a big reason why the Boilermakers are sitting at 8-2 right now.
The junior guard played an aggressive brand of basketball on Sunday, knocking down a number of shots from the floor while still picking apart Maryland's defense with his passing.
BIG 3 from @3bradensmith 🙌 @BoilerBall pic.twitter.com/1TIMxHb8ld
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) December 8, 2024
Purdue will now travel to Indianapolis on Saturday for another big-time nonconference showdown, this time taking on Texas A&M in the Indy Classic.
Related stories on Purdue basketball
PURDUE VETERANS STEP UP IN WIN OVER MARYLAND: Purdue notched its first Big Ten win of the 2024-25 season on Sunday, defeating Maryland 83-78. Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer all had big nights. CLICK HERE
SMITH'S BIG SEQUENCE: When Purdue needed a spark early in the second half, junior guard Braden Smith was the one to bring it. He had a big block followed by a 3-pointer to provide a spark. CLICK HERE
MYLES COLVIN DUNK: Myles Colvin got Purdue's day started on the scoreboard with an impressive putback dunk against Maryland. CLICK HERE
Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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