One Crazy Braden Smith Stat From Purdue's 88-60 Win Over Auburn
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INDIANAPOLIS — Every time Braden Smith steps on the basketball court, be prepared for something special to happened. That was the case again on Saturday, as the senior guard laced up his sheeny sneakers and hit the hardwood at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
Smith finished Saturday's game against No. 21 Auburn with 11 points, 14 assists, five rebounds, and three steals, leading the sixth-ranked Boilermakers to an 88-60 victory. He is the first player in the NCAA to post that stat line so far this season. But that may not be the craziest part of his performance.
Those 14 assists — a season high for the senior guard — were more than Auburn had as a team in Saturday's Indy Classic. The Tigers finished the contest with just 13 assists for the game.
The only player in the country to reach these numbers in a game this year.
— Purdue Men's Basketball (@BoilerBall) December 21, 2025
👉 36 assists the last 3 games. pic.twitter.com/OVeShYPUZw
It's the second time this season that Smith has had more assists than an opponent this season. In the first game of the Baha Mar Championship, the point guard finished the game with 12 assists while Memphis totaled just nine.
Purdue won that game 80-71.
As a result of Saturday's performance, Smith is now up to 873 career assists, ranking 26th on the NCAA's all-time leaderboard. That record set by Duke's Bobby Hurley is getting closer every game.
Smith's tear since Iowa State
Smith has been playing outstanding all season, but he's kicked it into another gear since Purdue's 81-58 loss to Iowa State earlier this month. He's dished out at least 10 assists in each of the last three games, and has a pair of double-doubles.
In Purdue's wins over Minnesota, Marquette, and Auburn, Smith has scored 33 points and dished out 36 assists. He's averaging 11 points and 12 assists per game in that three-game window. Here's the breakdown by game:
- vs. Minnesota — 15 points, 12 assists
- vs. Marquette — 7 points, 10 assists
- vs. Auburn — 11 points, 14 assists
Purdue has won all of those games by at least 20 points, with an average margin of victory of 25.3 points per game. It's been an impressive three-game run by both Smith and the Boilermakers.
After Saturday's performance, Smith is now averaging 12.6 points and 9.6 assists per game. The Boilermakers are now 11-1 on the season. They close out non-conference play on Monday, Dec. 29, hosting Kent State at Mackey Arena.
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5 THOUGHTS ON PURDUE'S WIN OVER AUBURN: Purdue was dominant in a 28-point win over Auburn on Saturday in the Indy Classic. Here are five observations from the Boilermakers' big win in Indianapolis. 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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