Braden Smith: Breaking News, Rumors & Highlights

Why Purdue basketball is a clear March Madness pretender

When Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn both confirmed they would be returning to Purdue for the 2025-2026 college basketball season, many immediately pegged them as March Madness title favorites.

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After 3 Straight Losses, Purdue Embracing 'Us vs. Everybody' Mentality

The chatter about Purdue's recent slide has gotten louder, but Braden Smith says it's Purdue's job to block out the noise. After suffering a third straight loss on Tuesday night, he knows the Boilermakers have critics, but said the outside noise doesn't have an impact on the locker room.

College Basketball News / Stadium Rant / January 28

#12 Purdue Drops Third Straight

The Purdue basketball team ran out of time on Tuesday night. Despite their furious second-half comeback, the Boilermakers fell short in their game in Bloomington against archrival Indiana, 72-67.

College Basketball News / Yardbarker / January 27

Top five favorites to win the Naismith Men's College POTY award

Top five favorites to win the Naismith Men's College Player of the Year award

To be anointed the country's best player in collegiate hoops, one has to blend top-notch individual statistics with a strong overall team performance. That's what these Naismith candidates possess.

Nebraska sets historic milestone in new AP men’s basketball poll

No. 1 Arizona remains unbeaten following tough road test at No. 13 BYU

Winter storm allows Charles Bediako to keep playing for Alabama

The 'Naismith Men's Player of the Year winners' quiz

Charlotte Hornets News / Yardbarker Quizzes

The 'No. 2 NBA Draft picks since 1985' quiz

Starting in 1985, the NBA implemented a lottery system in order to determine which team receives the No. 1 overall pick in that year's draft. But, this time we don't want you to name the top pick, but instead the pick that came after No. 1. How many of the second overall picks from this time cane you name in six minutes?

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College Basketball News / Purdue Boilermakers on SI / January 26

Preview: No. 12 Purdue vs. Indiana with Key Stats

College basketball's best rivalry adds a new chapter on Tuesday night, as No. 12 Purdue heads to Bloomington to take on Indiana. The Boilermakers are hoping to snap a two-game losing skid, while the Hoosiers are looking for their first marquee win of the season.

College Basketball News / Illinois Fighting Illini on SI / January 23

Illinois vs. Purdue: Comparing the Nation's Top Two Offenses Ahead of Big Ten Clash

On Saturday afternoon (2 p.m. CT, FOX), West Lafayette will feature what could be a heavyweight battle for the ages, as Illinois is set to meet Purdue in a contest that’ll pit a pair of 7-1 Big Ten teams against one another.

College Basketball News / Field Level Media / January 23

No. 4 Purdue looks to rebound against fiery No. 11 Illinois

If you want to witness the most efficient offenses in college basketball, then West Lafayette, Ind., is the only place to be Saturday. No. 11 Illinois (16-3, 7-1 Big Ten), which per KenPom.com boasts the nation's most efficient tempo-free offense at 129.5 points per 100 possessions, puts its eight-game winning streak on the line at No.

College Basketball News / Stadium Rant / January 21

#4 Purdue Stunned At UCLA

The Purdue Boilermakers basketball team has played with fire over the last couple of weeks. It has gone for minutes at a time without scoring on multiple occasions, only to be bailed out in the end by Braden Smith or another Boiler player.

Purdue Boilermakers News / Purdue Boilermakers on SI / January 20

Braden Smith's Status on the Big Ten Availability Report for Purdue vs. UCLA

Purdue guard Braden Smith has been listed as "questionable" on the Big Ten Availability Report for Tuesday night's game between the fourth-ranked Boilermakers and UCLA.

College Basketball News / UCLA Bruins on SI / January 20

3 Purdue Threats UCLA Must Contain

A UCLA win here would be nice, no doubt, but what stands in the way could make this task next to impossible. The Bruins are coming off a devastating loss to Ohio State , which ultimately boiled down to individual Buckeye performances, as three of their starters scored 20 points.

College Basketball News / 5 GOATs / January 19

National Title Odds: Ranking Top 25 betting favorites after Week 11 of college basketball

The latest national title odds in college basketball are in after Week 11 of the regular season. All odds are courtesy of BetMGM. We are into the new calendar year of 2026 and conference play, so a lot of basketball is happening!

College Basketball News / Stadium Rant / January 19

Purdue Preview: UCLA On Deck In Big 10 Play

If two schools were ever considered the most intertwined in college basketball lore, Purdue and UCLA would have a strong case. The most decorated head coach in NCAA history, John Wooden, had deep-seated ties to both schools.

College Basketball News / Total Apex Sports / January 18

Gritty, Ugly, and Beautiful: Braden Smith Leads Purdue Past USC on One Good Leg

If you looked strictly at the box score from Purdue’s trip to the Galen Center on Saturday night, you’d see a fairly standard Braden Smith stat line: 22 points, some clutch free throws, and a team that remains undefeated in Big Ten play.

Purdue Boilermakers News / Purdue Boilermakers on SI / January 18

Purdue Guard Braden Smith Provides Updated on Injured Knee After USC Win

Braden Smith felt the pain in his knee throughout Saturday night's game. Stiffening up and limiting his mobility, the senior guard still found a way to score 22 points and lead fifth-ranked Purdue to a 69-64 road win over USC at the Galen Center.

College Basketball News / Field Level Media / January 17

Braden Smith's heroics help No. 5 Purdue hold off USC

Braden Smith scored two of his game-high 22 points on a crucial steal and layup to help No. 5 Purdue escape with a 69-64 road win over Southern California on Saturday in Los Angeles.

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Purdue Boilermakers News / Purdue Boilermakers on SI / January 17

5 Thoughts From No. 5 Purdue's 69-64 Win Over USC

USC's physicality and defensive persistence gave No. 5 Purdue some trouble on Saturday night, but the Boilermakers prevailed. They escaped the Galen Center with a 69-64 victory to remain undefeated in Big Ten play and stay atop the conference standings.