Purdue Edges Texas in Last-Second Thriller

Boilermakers advance to West Region final with 79-77 win over Longhorns

Mar. 27, 2026 at 11:10am

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Trey Kaufman-Renn tipped in a shot with 0.7 seconds left to give the second-seeded Purdue Boilermakers a 79-77 win over the 11th-seeded Texas Longhorns in the NCAA Tournament's West Region semifinals on Thursday night in San Jose. Kaufman-Renn finished with 20 points and 8 rebounds, while Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer also scored in double figures for Purdue. Texas' Tramon Mark had a game-high 29 points in the losing effort.

Why it matters

Purdue's narrow victory over Texas sets up a highly anticipated matchup between the Boilermakers and top-seeded Arizona in the West Region final, with a trip to the Final Four on the line. The game came down to the wire, showcasing the high-stakes drama of the NCAA Tournament.

The details

Purdue's Braden Smith drove to the lane on the final possession, and his jumper bounced off right to the hands of Kaufman-Renn, who tipped it in for the game-winning basket. Kaufman-Renn made 8 of 10 shots from the floor, while Loyer scored 18 points and Smith added 16 for the Boilermakers. Texas' Tramon Mark had a standout performance, scoring 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting, including 5-of-7 from 3-point range.

  • The game was played on Thursday, March 27, 2026 in San Jose, California.

The players

Trey Kaufman-Renn

A starting forward for the Purdue Boilermakers who scored the game-winning tip-in with 0.7 seconds left.

Braden Smith

A starting guard for the Purdue Boilermakers who drove to the lane on the final possession, setting up Kaufman-Renn's game-winner.

Fletcher Loyer

A starting guard for the Purdue Boilermakers who scored 18 points in the victory.

Tramon Mark

A starting guard for the Texas Longhorns who scored a game-high 29 points in the losing effort.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

What’s next

Purdue will face top-seeded Arizona in the West Region final on Saturday, with the winner advancing to the Final Four in Indianapolis.

The takeaway

Purdue's thrilling last-second victory over Texas sets up a highly anticipated matchup between the Boilermakers and Arizona, two of the top teams in the West Region, with a trip to the Final Four on the line.