3 Thoughts on Purdue's Thrilling 79-77 Win Over Texas to Advance to the Elite Eight
In this story:
The loud noise you heard coming from the West was every Purdue fan in San Jose cheering in celebration after Trey Kaufman-Renn's buzzer-beating tip-in secured a Sweet 16 win for Purdue. The Boilermakers are headed to the Elite Eight following a 79-77 win over Texas on Thursday.
It was a back-and-forth battle, but at the end of the game, it was Kaufman-Renn who made the biggest play of the game. He finished the night with 20 points and eight rebounds, keeping Purdue's hopes of a national title alive.
TREY KAUFMAN-RENN GAME-WINNER 🚨
— NCAA March Madness (@MarchMadnessMBB) March 27, 2026
PURDUE ADVANCES TO THE ELITE 8 🤯 pic.twitter.com/CYj7ltsGXT
Here are a few quick thoughts from the Boilermakers' big win in San Jose on Thursday night.
Finding ways to win despite poor three-point shooting
Throughout the year, Matt Painter has stressed the importance of finding ways to win games when the shots aren't falling. It may have been a little too close for comfort on Thursday night, but Purdue found a way.
Fletcher Loyer knocked down a pair of early threes to start the game, but the Boilermakers were ice-cold from behind the arc. They finished the game making just 4-of-20 shots from three-point range.
In fact, Loyer was the only player for Purdue to make a shot from long range, going 4-of-8. He ended the night with 18 points, second only to Kaufman-Renn.
At times this season, that poor shooting effort would have resulted in a loss, especially with the way Texas guard Tramon Mark was playing. But Purdue found a way to get the job done.
Completely eliminated the turnovers
Purdue really struggled with turnovers in its last game against Miami. Those mistakes allowed the Hurricanes to get out in transition and get some easy points in the second round of the tournament.
Texas had that same ability because of its length and athleticism. This time, though, Purdue wasn't bothered by the pressure nearly as much. No, the Boilers didn't shoot well, but they did take care of the basketball.
Purdue ended the game with just four turnovers and Braden Smith ended with only two. That was a huge factor in the game, especially with Purdue struggling to hit from long distance.
Limiting turnovers prevented Texas from getting out into transition and getting easy buckets. If Purdue had any issues in this area, it would probably be headed back to West Lafayette.
Hats off to Trey Kaufman-Renn
There isn't a player who deserves more credit for Thursday's Sweet 16 win than Kaufman-Renn, and not just because he made the game-winning bucket. He played a physical brand of basketball all night long, putting Purdue in a great position down the stretch.
Because of Kaufman-Renn's physicality, Texas found itself in foul trouble early. Matas Vokietaitis had four fouls for a good portion of the second half. Camden Heide fouled out of the game with five minutes remaining.
His work earlier in the game actually put him in a position to get that game-winning rebound and put-back with less than one second to play.
Kaufman-Renn also made 8-of-10 shots from the floor and had just one turnover. He had a masterful performance in the biggest game of the season.
Get top Boilermakers stories, expert analysis, and can't-miss moments straight to your inbox for free by signing up for the Purdue Boilermakers on SI newsletter!
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.
Follow SchutteDustin