As he has done countless times in the 2024-2025 season, Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith had another high-point, high-assist game earlier on Tuesday. His contributions then helped his No. 18-ranked team to a 29-point blowout, 100-71, of the unranked Rutgers Scarlet Knights on their home floor as their penultimate matchup to cap off regular campaign play.
In 32 minutes of action, Smith posted 23 points, including seven three-pointers, five rebounds, nine assists and two steals. In fact, his assist tally almost matched the entirety of their opposition, who had a total of 10 dimes collectively as a team.
Smith's first dime came in at the 17:54 mark of the first period, where he quickly followed it up as well. The junior was also integral on the defensive end, playing pesky defense on the opposing backcourt players. His first points came from a couple of freebies as the Big Ten fixture was all knotted up at 19-all halfway into the first half.
The third-year standout's first field goal came in the 9:44 mark with a three-pointer, where he went off for two more afterward to give the Matt Painter-coached squad a three-point edge, 32-29. More dimes were engineered by Smith throughout the remainder of the frame as the Boilermakers generated a nine-point lead, 50-41, to close the first half.
To open the second half of play, Smith went back to work right away by uncorking an assist and a three-ball to push Purdue's advantage further. He continued to rack up dimes over the course of the period, with his team starting to pull away. The floor general made another one from beyond the three-point arc at the 10:42 mark to balloon Rutgers' deficit to 28 markers, 81-53.
With the fixture looking like another lop-sided victory for Smith and Co., the Westfield, Indiana native opted to let loose for the remainder of the half. While he no longer tallied any points or assists, Smith did some damage in the rebounding department as the Boilermakers secured the 29-point triumph, 100-71.
Check out Braden Smith's full stat line from the win on Tuesday below.
Braden Smith cements his legacy by making history on Tuesday
Braden Smith's fastbreak lob at the 3:41 mark of the first quarter netted him his 700th assist in his three years with the Purdue Boilermakers. He eventually finished the game with five more, giving him 705 total dimes, to go along with 509 boards and 1296 markers.
Smith and the Boilermakers now move on to postseason play, but will have one final regular season fixture against the unranked Illinois Fighting Illini on the road on Friday.
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