Purdue beats Miami 79-69 to advance to 3rd straight Sweet 16

Fletcher Loyer stars with 24 points as Boilermakers move on in NCAA Tournament

Mar. 22, 2026 at 10:41pm

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Purdue defeated Miami 79-69 in the second round of the NCAA Tournament, advancing to the Sweet 16 for the third straight time and seventh in the last nine years. Fletcher Loyer scored 24 points and Trey Kaufman-Renn had 19 points and 9 rebounds to lead the Boilermakers. Purdue will face 11th-seeded Texas in the West Region semifinals on Thursday.

Why it matters

Purdue's continued success in the NCAA Tournament cements the program as one of the top teams in college basketball. The Boilermakers have now reached the Sweet 16 in 7 of the last 9 years, showcasing their ability to consistently compete at the highest level.

The details

Purdue jumped out to an early lead, but Miami fought back to take a 40-38 halftime advantage. In the second half, the Boilermakers pulled away with an 11-3 run, highlighted by a three-point play from Trey Kaufman-Renn. Braden Smith, who broke the NCAA career assists record in his previous game, had 12 points and 8 assists but also 8 turnovers. Shelton Henderson led Miami with 18 points and 8 rebounds.

  • Purdue will face 11th-seeded Texas in the West Region semifinals on Thursday, March 28, 2026.

The players

Fletcher Loyer

A Purdue player who scored 24 points in the win over Miami.

Trey Kaufman-Renn

A Purdue player who had 19 points and 9 rebounds in the victory.

Braden Smith

Purdue's point guard who broke the NCAA career assists record in his previous game, but had 8 turnovers against Miami.

Shelton Henderson

A Miami player who led the Hurricanes with 18 points and 8 rebounds.

Malik Reneau

A Miami player who scored 16 points but also had 7 turnovers.

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What they’re saying

“We have a good team, we have good balance, and Braden is the guy that makes us go and he sets things off. I know he's frustrated, but we were able to win and advance, and now we can play another day.”

— Matt Painter, Purdue Head Coach

“The thing with him is you've got to try to limit him as much as possible because he's the engine to the machine. Everybody knows that. And so we tried to deny him. We tried to trap him. ... We just had to give him different looks. We tried to make him as uncomfortable as possible.”

— Jai Lucas, Miami Head Coach

“I hold myself to a higher standard. It was a bit frustrating. Obviously I wanted shots to fall, but win and advance, and we move on.”

— Braden Smith

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This case highlights growing concerns in the community about repeat offenders released on bail, raising questions about bail reform, public safety on SF streets, and if any special laws to govern autonomous vehicles in residential and commercial areas.