Trey Kaufman-Renn, second-half rebounding, halt No. 20 Purdue's four-game losing streak

The script has repeated itself too many times during this four-game losing streak.

An 11-point lead at Michigan. Up by nine against Wisconsin. A seven-point advantage at Michigan State. The 12-point margin at Indiana. And go back to the Ohio State loss, where the lead was 12 before the game slipped away.

Here was another lead Friday night against UCLA.

PDF: Purdue-UCLA statistics

More: Analysis | Wrap Video | Stat Blast | Gallery | Final Thoughts | Pod

Purdue built a 10-point cushion in the first half but watched it disappear, similar to the previous four games. But the 20^th-ranked Boilermakers leaned on their man in the middle and Trey Kaufman-Renn helped end the skid during a 76-66 victory before an energized Mackey Arena.

The victory keeps Purdue in the hunt for a top-four seed and a double-bye in the Big Ten tournament.

Kaufman-Renn dominated inside on the offensive end. The junior finished with 29 points, including 15 in the second half. His six straight points allowed Purdue to overtake the Bruins, building a 61-56 lead with 5:35 to play.

Camden Heide and Fletcher Loyer drained 3-pointers, extending the run to 12-0 and a 67-56 lead with 3:38 to play.

Kaufman-Renn took ownership in the losing streak and called a players-only meeting to begin fixing the season. Kaufman-Renn backed up his leadership with a tremendous performance Friday night, hitting 11 of 15 from the field and collecting three steals.

To be honest, I didn’t really think of it that way,” Kaufman-Renn said. “I felt like we had a great couple of days of practice. We had a lot of energy going into the game, and we were connected the whole game. I’m happy to be a part of a team that responded, obviously, to the meeting, but, to the losses that we had.

“I think it really shows our competitive drive and mental toughness to come back from that because UCLA is a really good team. They have one of the best coaches in the country. They’re tough, they rebound, and they play really hard. So, this is a big win for us.”

Part of the second-half story was Purdue’s rebounding. The Bruins held a 20-7 advantage at halftime and scored 10 second-chance points. While UCLA won the overall rebounding battle, the work on the offensive glass in the second half made a difference.

Purdue totaled 16 second-chance points after halftime and limited the Bruins to eight total rebounds.

Braden Smith became the program’s all-time leader in assists early in the first half, passing Bruce Parkinson. Smith finished with 23 points and eight assists. Loyer had nine of his 11 points after halftime. Heide pulled down nine rebounds, all in the second half.

The Bruins were turnover-prone early, but the Boilermakers didn’t take full advantage of the sloppy play. UCLA committed six turnovers in the first five minutes and grew to nine by halftime. But the Bruins settled down and started executing their offense, bringing them back into the game after trailing by 10.

Kaufman-Renn’s layup increased the margin to double digits with 5:59 left before halftime, but UCLA started to click. The Bruins continued their domination on the boards and slowly cut into the lead heading into halftime.

Sebastian Mack’s 3-pointer started a 16-8 stretch for UCLA, which pulled within 37-35 at halftime. Tyler Bilodeau led the Bruins with 15 points.

“I WAS BEING SOFT”

That’s what Heide said about his first-half performance.

No rebounds. No shots. One foul.

After the week the Boilermakers went through, where accountability and taking responsibility were the themes since Sunday’s loss to Indiana, Heide needed to provide a lift.

He did it on the boards.

“I would say I was just being soft in the first half, honestly,” Heide said. “I had opportunities to get rebounds and honestly, I just didn’t do it. That was an emphasis at halftime.”

The Bruins were plus 13 on the boards in the first half, and it was essential to flip the rebounding after halftime. Heide and others led the charge.  

In the last five games, Heide totaled eight rebounds. He surpassed that mark by one in just 21 minutes.

“It was a big emphasis going into the second half, and there’s no reason why we can’t do that quite often,” said Heide, who was averaging 2.8 rebounds in Big Ten games before Friday.

Purdue coach Matt Painter thought Heide had three opportunities in the first half to make plays on the boards but didn’t. He delivered after halftime. Painter and his staff harped on the message of embracing physicality throughout the week, not just with Heide but with everybody.

“I thought he was great,” Painter said. “It was one of those things, kind of like Myles (Colvin) at Indiana, it made more sense for him to be on the floor, and it made more sense for Cam to be on the floor (Friday).

“I think it’s the ultimate compliment when you come off the bench and you force the coach to play you. We were better with him in there, and I thought he did a really good job of giving us a spark.”

“OFFENSIVE REBOUNDS ARE SO BIG”

Purdue was a better rebounding team in the second half, but you need to examine where the bigger impact occurred.

Offensive rebounds helped the Boilermakers win this game. Those offensive rebounds resulted in second-chance opportunities, and Purdue capitalized with 16 points.  

“I think offensive rebounds are so big,” said Kaufman-Renn, who had two of his team’s seven offensive rebounds. “I personally think offensive rebounds are one of the best stat(s), or one of best things you could do in a game. The fact that we could dial that in, and Cam could come in and get nine second-half rebounds, that’s incredible. I’m just happy for the team.”

Although they had a double-digit lead in the first half and were up by two at intermission, the Boilermakers missed a chance to enjoy a more significant lead, but the Bruins were controlling the boards.

Purdue limited UCLA to 11 second-half rebounds, including two offensive boards.

“We were just more active, and getting some of those offensive rebounds were more chase-down type of rebounds,” Painter said. “It was huge because we would’ve been in a much better position at halftime if we could rebound. We have to keep working. We have to be quick to the basketball.”

MILESTONE NIGHT

Needing just three assists to set the program’s career record for assists, it wouldn’t take long for Smith to surpass Parkinson’s mark of 690.

His second assist – five minutes into the game – on a pass to Colvin, who drained a 3-pointer, tied the record. The record-breaking assist was on another pass to Colvin, who hit a midrange jumper with 11:55 left in the first half.

Smith left Friday’s game with 696 assists and may put the record out of reach by the time his career ends.

“It’s an honor, but at the end of the day, I’m surrounded by such great players, and it makes my job so much easier,” Smith said. “I just thank them and thank all the people that I play with because I wouldn’t be here without them. They continue to put work in every single day, and it just makes my job so much easier.”

Here’s the deal – Parkinson’s record stood for 48 years. Purdue hasn’t been short of talented point guards and playmakers since Parkinson left. For Smith to break a long-standing record says plenty about Smith’s talent level and intangible qualities that’s made him the best point guard in the country.

“First of all, congratulations to Bruce Parkinson,” Painter said. “Anytime you can be at a great basketball school like Purdue and hold an award that long … make sure you give just due to the people that came before you. Bruce Parkinson was a great player and was a very successful player.

“But to hold a record that long is pretty cool. For someone to do it in their junior year, it’s pretty cool. He’s got a knack. He works hard. He’s a good player. He walked in here passing. He’s got a feel, and he comes from a basketball family. Just happy for him.”