Purdue vs Queens Score, Recap: Boilermakers Dominate 104-71 in 2026 March Madness First Round

Entering Friday night’s game, Smith had 1,075 assists, which was one shy of the NCAA’s all-time record held by Duke’s Bobby Hurley. The real question was “when” and not “if” Smith would eclipse the mark that had been Hurley’s for 33 years.

Smith’s first helper occurred at the 17:24 mark when he found Oscar Cluff for a layup, tying him with Hurley. The drama ended after a pass to Kaufman-Renn resulted in a basket five minutes later to make the score 17-12. A foul was called on the play, and the roar from the Boilermaker crowd when the action was lulled filled Enterprise Center.

Following the game, Smith remained humble and stressed that giving out assists is simply part of his job description as a point guard.

“It hasn’t really set in yet,” he said of setting the mark. “As a point guard, that’s what you’re supposed to do. I’ve been thankful and blessed to have people put the ball in my hands.”

Ironically, Smith’s first assist in a Purdue uniform was a fast-break pass to Kaufman-Renn on November 8, 2022. With eight assists on Friday, Smith’s total now stands at 1.083.

Smith now needs eight assists to become the third player in NCAA Tournament history to have at least 100 points, 100 assists, and 50 rebounds in an NCAA Tournament career. Ed Cota and Aaron Miles are the others. Smith has 124 points, 92 assists, and 51 rebounds in NCAA tournament play, and those 92 assists are the 11^th most by a player in NCAA Tournament history.

Purdue And Queens Were Competitive For Most Of The First Half

Queens University, a school with 2,500 students in Charlotte, NC, came out firing and looked resolved to give the Boilers a game. Both teams shot the ball very effectively early on, and the Royals were matching Purdue shot-for-shot.

Every time Purdue went on a mini-run, Queens was there for an answer. The Boilers scored six straight to make the score 26-17 with 9:12 left before halftime, but the Royals scrapped back to make the score 35-30 with just under three minutes remaining.

At that point, the Boilermakers went on a 10-0 run, highlighted by two three-pointers and two free throws from C.J. Cox, as well as a mid-range jumper from Smith. Queens responded with a long three-point basket just before the clock expired, but Purdue held a solid 45-33 advantage at the break.

Cox picked up right where he left off in the second half, knocking down a shot from distance with Purdue’s first possession. After Queens drilled a three-pointer of their own directly after, the Boilers reeled off another 10-0 run to put the score at 58-36 with 16:27 left.

The lead grew to as much as 38 in the later stages of the game before Purdue settled for their 33-point rout.

Besides dominating Queens on the offensive end of the floor, the Boilers boasted a 41-19 advantage in rebounds, the third-highest margin in an NCAA tournament game in Purdue history. In fact, Cluff (11) and Kaufman-Renn (9) out-rebounded the entire Royals lineup.

End Of My Purdue Rant: Boilermakers Peaking At The Right Time

The Boilermakers are choosing the right time to be playing their most complete brand of basketball of the season. After beginning the year as the top-ranked squad, Purdue muddled its way through much of January and February and finished tied for sixth place in the Big Ten standings.

Purdue will face Miami in the Round of 32 at 11 am CT on Sunday, with a trip to the Sweet 16 on the line. If the Boilermakers continue shooting at this level, they will be one of the most dangerous teams remaining in the 2026 NCAA Tournament.