Braden Smith Joins Elite College Basketball Company With 300th Assist This Season
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INDIANAPOLIS — Braden Smith has joined elite college basketball company by hitting another remarkable milestone this season. In Friday night's Sweet 16 game against No. 1 seed Houston, the Purdue junior guard dished out his 300th assist of the year. It's a feat only three other players have achieved.
Smith entered Friday's game with 298 assists on the season. He was responsible for four assists in the first half against Houston, bringin his total to 302 for the year.
Making his mark 👏 @3bradensmith records 300 assists in a single season for @BoilerBall
— FOX College Hoops (@CBBonFOX) March 29, 2025
A feat only three others have accomplished before. pic.twitter.com/lllhgdJqJO
The only other college basketball players to dish out 300 assists or more in a single season are Kendall Marshall (North Carolina, 2011-12), Mark Jackson (St. John's, 1985-86) and Sherman Douglas (Syracuse, 1988-89).
It's been a year of remarkable accomplishments for Smith, who already owns Purdue's all-time record for career assists. He also scored his 1,000th career point and grabbed his 500th career rebound earlier this year.
Smith is not only etching his name in Purdue's record books, he's doing it on the national level, as well.
Smith has already been named the Big Ten Player of the Year and was a first-team All-American. He's one of four finalists for the Naismith National Player of the Year honor.
Related stories on Purdue basketball
BOILERS PREPARE FOR LATE TIPOFF: Last week, Purdue played in the early games of the NCAA Tournament. On Friday, tipoff is set for 10:09 p.m. ET vs. Houston. How are Braden Smith and the Boilers handling the late start time? CLICK HERE
TOM BREW COLUMN: Purdue has advanced to the Sweet 16, and No. 1 seed Houston awaits on Friday night in the regional semifinals at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The Cougars have the nation's best defense and will make life difficult for the Boilermakers' scorers. CLICK HERE
PURDUE NEEDS TO FIRE AWAY: Purdue's role players are going to have to stay "shot ready" and not pass up good looks in Friday's Sweet 16 game against Houston, a top-notch defensive team. 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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