High Point game notes, Smith First Team AA; Purdue Sports Update

Purdue junior guard Braden Smith has been named a first-team All-American by the Associated Press (AP), the organization announced today.

Smith was joined on the first team by Auburn’s Johni Broome, Duke’s Cooper Flagg, Florida’s Walter Clayton Jr., and Alabama’s Mark Sears.

It is the second first-team All-America selection for the Westfield, Indiana, native, as The Sporting News named him a first-team honoree last week. The United States Basketball Writers Associations (USBWA) and National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) will be announced on Wednesday.

With Smith’s first-team accolade, a Boilermaker has been named a first-team All-American by at least one of the four entities in each of the last four years. In 2022, Jaden Ivey was a first-team selection by the NABC, while Zach Edey earned consensus first-team accolades in both 2023 and 2024. Smith’s first-team honors by The Sporting News and Associated Press give Purdue four straight years of first-team All-Americans. No other team has more than two first-team All-American honors in that span.

Smith’s achievements

• Named the Big Ten Player of the Year and first-team All-American by the Sporting News.
• Averages 16.1 points, 8.7 assists, 4.6 rebounds and 2.2 steals per game, but saw his averages increase to 17.4 points, 8.9 assists and 4.6 rebounds during Big Ten play.
• Set the Big Ten record for assists in conference play only with 175, smashing the previous record set by Michigan State’s Cassius Winston (157) by 18 assists – almost a full assist per game.
• Became the second player in Big Ten history, joining Michigan State’s Magic Johnson, to register 450 points, 250 assists, 125 rebounds and 60 steals in a season. Smith has reached those numbers in each of the last two seasons.
• Became the school’s career assists leader, now with 732 assists in just 107 career games.
• Needs one steal to become the second player in NCAA history to have 500 points, 275 assists, 150 rebounds and 75 steals in a season, joining Georgia Tech standout Kenny Anderson (1989-90) as members of that group.
• Is on pace to be the first player since California’s Jason Kidd (1993-94) to average at least 16.0 points, 8.0 assists, 4.5 rebounds and 2.0 steals per game.
• Smith’s 732 assists (and counting) are the sixth most for a player in NCAA history by the end of his junior season. He already ranks fifth in Big Ten conference history in career assists.
• Recorded four 20-point, 10-assist games this season. Prior to this year, Purdue had two 20-point, 10-assist games in school history – the last one coming in the 1987-88 season.
• His nine point-assist double-doubles are the third most for a high-major player in the last 20 seasons (14 – Oklahoma’s Trae Young, 2018; 10 – Kansas State’s Markquis Nowell, 2023).
• Smith has posted two games of 30 or more points this season (34 vs. Toledo; 31 vs. Iowa).
• Has 12 games of 10 or more assists this season, and 22 games of 10 or more assists for his career. His 22 career games of 10 or more assists are the most in Big Ten history. The 22, 10-assist games are the fourth most by a player in his junior season or younger in the last 20 years (Kay Felder – 32; Kendall Marshall – 23; Ja Morant – 23).

Purdue-High Point–notes to know

GAMEDAY INFORMATION — GAME 34
[4 seed] Purdue (22-11) vs. [13 seed] High Point (29-5)
Thursday, March 20, 2025 | 12:40 p.m. ET
Providence, Rhode Island | Amica Mutual Pavilion (11,648)
TELEVISION: TruTV (Andrew Catalon, Steve Lappas, Evan Washburn)
RADIO: Purdue Global Radio Network (Rob Blackman, Bobby Riddell)

ABOUT GAMEDAY
• The Midwest’s No. 4 seed, Purdue, begins its March Madness quest on Thursday afternoon, when it battles Big South Champion and No. 13 seed High Point in the NCAA Tournament first round. The Boilermakers are looking for their second straight apperance in the Final Four, but for starters, must get by a high-powered High Point offense in the first round.

THE NOTES TO KNOW
BACK OUT EAST: Purdue begins its NCAA Tournament journey away from the Midwest for the first time since the 2019 NCAA Tournament, when the Boilermakers face High Point in Providence in the opening round on Thursday.
• Purdue last ventured out of the Midwest for the NCAA Tournament opening rounds in 2019, when it traveled to Hartford, Connecticut, for the first two rounds. The Boilermakers would defeat Old Dominion and Villanova and eventually reached the Elite Eight.

STREAKING: Purdue will be making its 10th straight trip to the NCAA Tournament, the fourth-longest streak in America. During the last eight tournaments, Purdue has been a top-four seed, the longest streak in the country by four years. 

BEEN THERE BEFORE: Prior to the 2021-22 season, the Purdue basketball team scrimmaged Providence in October at Amica Mutual Pavilion before the season tipped off. Purdue last played an official game in the state of Rhode Island in Dec. 1998, an 87-82 loss to Providence. 

THE WINNING WAYS: Since the 2016-17 season, Purdue has won 14 NCAA Tournament games, tied for the fifth most nationally.
• In every season since 2016-17 that Purdue has won a first-round game, it advanced to at least the Sweet 16. 

DON’T LOOK PAST ANYONE: Since the 2020-21 tournament, Purdue owns a 4-1 record against high-major programs. In the same span, Purdue is 3-3 against mid-major programs.

POLL POSITION: With its No. 22 ranking in this week’s AP poll, Purdue is 1-of-10 teams nationally, and the only Big Ten team, to be ranked in every week of the AP top 25 poll.
• Purdue has been ranked in 58 straight Associated Press top-25 polls, the third-longest streak in America (Houston, Tennessee).

SHOOTING STARS: Thursday’s first-round game with High Point will be one of two first-round contests that features two top-25 offenses nationally via KenPom (UConn vs. Oklahoma).
• It also features the only matchup with both teams in the top 25 nationally in field goal percentage (High Point – 7; Purdue – 11). 

HOW SWEET IT IS: Purdue is aiming for its sixth Sweet-16 appearance in the last eight seasons, advancing the second weekend in 2017, 2018, 2019, 2022 and 2024.

WE’RE USED TO MARCH MADNESS: Purdue will be making its 36th appearance in March Madness, tied for the 15th-most appearances in NCAA history. Purdue’s 49 victories are the 16th most in the country.

THE RECORD-SETTERS: Purdue players have set long-standing career records in the three major statistical categories during the last two seasons.
• Zach Edey broke a 54-year scoring record a year ago, previously set by Rick Mount in 1970. Edey broke a 44-year rebounding record a year ago, previously set by Joe Barry Carroll in 1980. And Braden Smith broke a 48-year assists record, previously set by Bruce Parkinson in 1977. 

ONE OF ONE: Braden Smith became the first player in NCAA history to have scored at least 1,300 points, dish out 700 assists and grab 500 rebounds by the end of his junior campaign. 
• Smith needs one steal to become the first player since Georgia Tech’s Kenny Anderson (1989-90) to have at least 500 points, 275 assists, 150 rebounds and 75 steals in a season.

PAINTER AMONG ELITE: Matt Painter is one of five coaches in America to have at least 16 NCAA Tournament berths in the last 18 tournaments (Few, Self, Izzo, Calipari, Painter). 

Baseball Remains Hot

Baseball scored five runs in its first inning at the plate of the home season at Alexander Field on Wednesday, March 12, rolling past Butler 10-1 in front of a stadium-record crowd of 1,413 for a home opener.

The Boilermakers scored at least eight runs for the 12th time in their 17 games while improving to 15-2, winning their fourth straight home opener dating back to 2022. The 2022 team was 13-0 after winning its home opener on March 10 and that day’s crowd of 1,135 was the previous high for a home opener at Alexander.

Carter Doorn retired the first 13 batters of the game and lowered his Big Ten-leading ERA to 0.36, setting the stage for Purdue to lead wire-to-wire in a 7-1 victory vs. UIC on Friday at Alexander Field.

Brandon Anderson barreled up for a 430-foot home run in the first inning, a three-run blast to right center for his fourth of the season and first at Alexander.

Logan Sutter connected for a go-ahead grand slam to open the scoring in an eight-run eighth inning as Purdue Baseball rallied for a 9-3 series-clinching victory vs. UIC on Saturday at Alexander Field.

The series finale vs. UIC was officially canceled. Due to RealFeel temperatures in West Lafayette not projected to hit the NCAA-required 28 degrees until 9 p.m., game 3 of the series will not resume. It’s officially a cancellation after five innings were not completed. UIC led 4-0 in the bottom of the fourth. The game will not be made up.

Lukas Cook posted his first collegiate four-hit game and Keenan Spence hit a 498-foot home run as Purdue scored in six of its eight innings at the plate in a 12-8 victory vs. Milwaukee on Tuesday at Alexander Field.

The Boilermakers improved to 4-0 at home and won for the eighth time in their last nine games overall. At 18-2, Purdue matched its best 20-game start in team history (2022).

Cook reached base safely in each of the first three innings and had a hit in four straight at-bats while extending his career-best hit streak to 10 consecutive games. He raised his Big Ten-leading batting average to .462.

The Boilermakers resume Big Ten Conference play this week when they host Michigan for weekend No. 2 of their season-long 12-game homestand. The first pitch Friday is set for 4 p.m. ET.

Softball Struggles on West Coast

The Boilers fell 6-0 in their Big Ten opener at No. 6 UCLA on Friday night. Purdue moved to 15-10 and 0-1 in conference play.

Moriah Polar, Khloe Banks, and Jordyn Ramos had the only hits of the night for the Boilermakers, each earning a single. The win over Purdue marked the first-ever Big Ten win for UCLA since the 2024-25 conference realignment. 

Purdue dropped a one-run thriller to No. 6 UCLA in the second game of the opening Big Ten series in Los Angeles on Saturday night. 

Kyndall Bailey earned the only two hits in the game, hitting her first-career home run to put Purdue ahead in the first inning, and adding a single in the sixth.

On the mound, Purdue used three pitchers in the game with the being starter Kendall Klochack, with Emma Bailey, and Julia Gossett in relief. 

Purdue drops to 15-12 after falling 7-5 in the series finale to No. 6 ranked UCLA. The Boilermakers move to 0-3 in Big Ten play as they head to Oklahoma City to take on Wisconsin and Maryland.

The Boilers combined for eight hits, the same as UCLA, while scoring in each of the first three innings. Khloe Banks led off the game with a triple, while Sage Scarmardo earned two hits.

Purdue will travels to the home of USA Softball, Devon Park, to take on two more Big Ten opponents in Maryland and Wisconsin. 

Women’s Tennis Remains Unbeaten At Home

The women’s tennis team remained undefeated on its home court this season after downing Rutgers, 4-1. With the victory, Purdue improves to a perfect 8-0 at home this season, 8-3 overall (2-2 Big Ten) while Rutgers falls to 7-4 (1-2 Big Ten).

Fatima Gutierrez had herself a day, beginning with a 6-1 victory alongside teammate Kathryn Wilson in doubles as the first court to finish. Gutierrez, a freshman, earned her third doubles and third singles victories of the year.

Later this week, the squad will travel for a pair of matches in the pacific northwest. First, Purdue will take on No. 19 Washington in Seattle on Friday at 4 p.m. ET before heading to Oregon for a Sunday afternoon showdown in Eugene.

Men’s Tennis Splits League Pair

The No. 60 men’s tennis team stormed back to topple No. 20 Illinois, 4-3, for the program’s highest ranked win in 11 years. The match, which included a top-12 nationally-ranked singles victory for junior Aleksa Krivokapic, and a dual-clinching victory for freshman Maj Premzl, allowed the Boilermakers to remain undefeated this season at Schwartz Tennis Center with a  9-0 home record.

Purdue now sits at 9-3 overall (1-2 Big Ten) while handing No. 20 Illinois its first loss of conference play, falling to 8-5 (2-1 Big Ten). The victory also marked Purdue’s second ranked win of the season (last: No. 32 Boise State, 4-1, in February).

Coming down to the final court in play, Purdue suffered a 3-4 loss vs. Northwestern, snuffing out the team’s perfect 9-0 home streak.

Purdue continues its homestand next weekend at Schwartz Tennis Center. The Boilermakers will play Friday at 4 p.m. ET vs. Michigan before taking on Michigan State on Sunday at noon ET.

#13 Wrestling Set For 2025 NCAA Championships

No. 13 Purdue is set to close its season with a trip to the 2025 NCAA Championships inside Philadelphia’s Wells Fargo Center.

As a result of Purdue’s 10th-place finish at the recent Big Ten Championships, five Boilers qualified for the national tournament:

125 lbs – Matt Ramos (R-Sr.) – 2 seed
157 lbs – Joey Blaze (So.) – 8 seed
174 lbs – Brody Baumann (R-So.) – 26 seed
141 lbs – Greyson Clark (So.) – 27 seed
285 lbs – Hayden Filipovich (R-Jr.) – 33 seed

The event will start at noon ET on Thursday, March 20, before concluding with the final session at 7 p.m. on Saturday, March 22. All sessions will be available to watch on the ESPN family of channels as designated below.

Thursday, March 20
12 p.m. – Session 1 – First Round – ESPNU
7 p.m. – Session 2 – Second Round & Consolations – ESPN

Friday, March 21
12 p.m. – Session 3 – Quarterfinals & Consolations – ESPNU
8 p.m. – Session 4 – Semifinals & Blood Round – ESPN2

Saturday, March 22
11 a.m. – Session 5 – Medal Round – ESPNU
7 p.m. – Session 6 – Finals – ESPN

Mackenzie Hanby Joins Purdue as Supervisor of Soccer Operations

Soccer head coach Richard Moodie has announced the addition of Mackenzie Hanby to join the staff as the supervisor of soccer operations.

With the addition of Hanby, the soccer staff now includes head coach Richard Moodie, associate head coach Rob Ward, assistant coach Adrian Ferreira Cabado, and assistant coach Carson Hamner. The support staff includes strength & conditioning coach Wally Becker and athletic trainer, Kirstin Lueken.

In four seasons at South Alabama, Hanby was responsible for overseeing all equipment related aspects of the team’s operations, ensuring that players and coaches had access to all the necessary equipment to be successful. Hanby executed workout, practice, and game day preparations, as well as managed the day-to-day operations of equipment for the team.

Prior to her time at South Alabama, Hanby worked as the team equipment manager for Spanish Fort High School, where she helped to ensure the smooth and efficient functioning of all the teams’ operations. Her tasks included managing equipment, inventory, paperwork, and film.

Hanby graduated from South Alabama in 2024 with a Bachelor of Science in exercise science pre professional studies. She is currently working towards completing her masters in sports management at the University of South Alabama.

Jasmine Kahler Named Big Ten Women’s Golfer of the Week

After matching the record for the lowest 36-hole score in program history, sophomore Jasmine Kahler has been named Big Ten Women’s Golfer of the Week. Kahler earns the weekly accolade for the first time in her career, becoming the first Boilermaker to collect the honor since Ashley Kozlowski (Feb. 15, 2023).

Kahler led Purdue to a runner-up finish at the Briar’s Creek Invitational (March 9-11), while placing second herself with a 6-under 138 (70-68) that matched Melati Purti’s two-round program best set at the 2019 Big Ten Championships.

Along with tying a school record, Kahler finished 6-under for Purdue’s lowest score (in relation to par) for a tournament this season. The second-place performance was her best as a Boilermaker, and she collected her fifth career Top 10. The Carlsbad, California, native led the 99-player field with 11 birdies over the 36 holes, while ranking second in par-4 scoring (-3).

Kahler carded a career-low 68 (-4) in the final round to secure runner-up honors and etch her name in the Purdue record book. With the sophomore leading the way, the Boilermakers finished 5-over to claim second place in South Carolina and record the third-best 36-hole team score in program history (291-290—581).

Kahler and the Boilermakers return to the links to close out the month of March and kick off April. Heading south, Purdue travels to St. Augustine, Florida for the Coach Mo Classic (March 30-April 1).