Braden Smith's GF Grace Lux Turns Heads in Custom Purdue Outfit Before Elite Eight

The No. 2-seeded Purdue Boilermakers men's basketball team is an underdog in their 2026 NCAA Tournament Elite Eight contest against the No. 1-seeded Arizona Wildcats on March 28.

That being said, these two teams are both among the best in the country. Any team can win any game in March Madness, and Purdue securing this victory against arguably the nation's top team would not seem overly surprising, despite the talent that Arizona has on its roster.

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Purdue Boilermakers forward Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) | Christine Tannous/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

If Purdue is going to beat Arizona, they'll need a fantastic performance from star point guard Braden Smith. The senior's 14.3 points per game during the season were tied for the team lead, and his 8.9 assists per game were second in the nation.

What's more, those who have followed Smith know that he's the heart and soul of this squad, playing a clear leadership role that can make a major impact even if his shot isn't falling. This has been proven by Purdue securing two tough NCAA Tournament wins despite Smith being 0 of 7 from three-point range in the team's past two contests.

Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith | Eakin Howard-Imagn Images

Smith will have a strong support system for what will be the biggest game of his life to this point. Among those cheering him on will be his girlfriend, Grace Lux.

Lux is also a student athlete, being a key part of Purdue's swim team. The couple has been together since at least the fall of 2025, as that's when they started posting about each other on social media. But there's a chance they've been together since before that, as well.

Grace Lux Makes Purdue Statement With Custom Outfit Before Elite Eight Showdown vs. Arizona

Lux has been following Smith and the basketball team throughout this NCAA tournament. This was made clear with an Instagram post she shared after the Boilermakers' second-round win against Miami, where she was posing in front of the court with the caption, "feelin sweet!🤍🏀".

She's wearing a custom jean jacket that has Smith's last name, his number, and 'Purdue' written on the front. There are also photos of the jacket's back, which has several Purdue logos and what looks to be a knitted basketball net.

Lux tagged the @stitchify765 account, who clearly made the jacket for her.

Perhaps Lux will have another custom outfit before Saturday's Elite Eight game. Smith and his Purdue squad will need all the support they can get if they're to get past Arizona.