Kaufman-Renn Tips In Game-Winner To Send No. 2 Seed Purdue Past 11th-Seeded Texas 79-77 In Sweet 16

Trey Kaufman-Renn's last-second tip-in lifts Purdue over hobbled Texas star Tramon Mark and the Longhorns.

Mar. 27, 2026 at 6:39am

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Trey Kaufman-Renn tipped in a miss by Braden Smith with 0.7 seconds left, and No. 2 seed Purdue edged 11th-seeded Texas 79-77 on Thursday night in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament. Texas star Tramon Mark scored 29 points despite playing through an injury, but Kaufman-Renn's late heroics sent Purdue to the Elite Eight.

Why it matters

This was a thrilling back-and-forth matchup between two teams with strong tournament pedigrees, with Purdue advancing to the Elite Eight despite a gutsy performance from the hobbled Texas star. The game highlighted the drama and unpredictability of the NCAA Tournament, where even highly seeded teams can be pushed to the brink.

The details

Kaufman-Renn hit his first seven shots and finished with 20 points for Purdue. Texas tied the game at 77-77 on a 3-point play by Dailyn Swain with 11.9 seconds left, but Kaufman-Renn was able to tip in Smith's missed shot at the buzzer to give Purdue the win. Mark scored a game-high 29 points for Texas despite playing through an injury to his right ankle.

  • Kaufman-Renn tipped in the game-winner with 0.7 seconds left.
  • Swain tied the game at 77-77 with a 3-point play with 11.9 seconds remaining.
  • Smith scored to give Purdue a 77-74 lead with 38 seconds left.

The players

Trey Kaufman-Renn

A Purdue forward who scored 20 points, including the game-winning tip-in at the buzzer.

Tramon Mark

A sixth-year senior and star player for Texas, who scored a game-high 29 points despite playing through an injury.

Braden Smith

A Purdue guard who scored 16 points, including a go-ahead layup with 38 seconds left.

Dailyn Swain

A Texas forward who tied the game at 77-77 with a 3-point play in the final seconds.

Matas Vokietaitis

A 7-foot center for Texas who was subbed out in the final seconds, allowing Purdue to get the game-winning tip-in.

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What’s next

Purdue will face either top-seeded Arizona or No. 4 seed Arkansas in the Elite Eight on Saturday.

The takeaway

This thrilling Sweet 16 matchup showcased the drama and unpredictability of the NCAA Tournament, with Purdue surviving a gutsy effort from the hobbled Texas star Tramon Mark to advance to the Elite Eight.