WATCH: Purdue's Braden Smith Brings Mackey Arena to Its Feet With Incredible Sequence
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Purdue found itself in need of a spark early in the second half in Sunday's Big Ten game against Maryland. Leave it to Braden Smith to get his team going.
Trailing the Terrapins 40-34 less than three minutes into the second half, Purdue needed someone to inject a little bit of life into the team. Junior guard Fletcher Loyer got it going, making a big 3-pointer to close the gap to just one possession.
On Maryland's next trip down the floor, Smith — who stands all of 6-foot — came up with a huge block. Just moments later, he knocked down a triple to tie the game at 40-40. It brought the Mackey Arena crowd to its feet.
Loyer 3 👉 Smith block 👉 Smith 3
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) December 8, 2024
This quick sequence helped @BoilerBall turn a 6-point deficit into a tie score 💥#B1GMBBall on @BigTenNetwork 📺 pic.twitter.com/3gvS0tYqjW
Smith has been outstanding for the Boilermakers through the first nine games of the 2024-25 season. He entered Sunday's game averaging 12.0 points, 8.7 assists, 4.9 rebounds and 1.8 steals per game.
Sometimes, you just need your veteran leaders to make plays. That's what Smith was able to do on Sunday at Mackey Arena.
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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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