Miami Hurricanes Face Purdue Boilermakers in NCAA Tournament Showdown

Hurricanes look to upset Boilermakers as 7-point underdogs in round of 32 matchup

Mar. 21, 2026 at 6:53pm

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The Miami Hurricanes (26-8) will take on the Purdue Boilermakers (28-8) in the round of 32 of the NCAA Tournament on Sunday, March 22, 2026 at the Enterprise Center in St. Louis, Missouri. Purdue is favored by 7 points, with the total set at 147.

Why it matters

This game features two teams with strong regular season records looking to advance in the NCAA Tournament. Miami is seeking an upset over the higher-seeded Boilermakers, while Purdue aims to continue its tournament run as a favorite. The outcome could have major implications for both teams' postseason aspirations.

The details

In their last game, the Hurricanes defeated Missouri 80-66, shooting 43.3% from the field and 45.8% from three-point range. Malik Reneau led Miami with 24 points on 7-of-16 shooting. Purdue is coming off a 104-71 win over Queens, with Braden Smith scoring 26 points and dishing out 8 assists for the Boilermakers.

  • The game will be played on Sunday, March 22, 2026.
  • Tip-off is scheduled for 3:00 PM Central Time.

The players

Malik Reneau

A key player for the Miami Hurricanes, Reneau scored 24 points on 43.8% shooting in their last game against Missouri.

Braden Smith

The Purdue Boilermakers' star player, Smith scored 26 points and had 8 assists in their previous game against Queens.

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What they’re saying

“We must be ready for a tough battle against a very talented Purdue team. They have a lot of weapons, and we'll need to play our best basketball to come out on top.”

— Jim Larrañaga, Head Coach, Miami Hurricanes

“This is the type of game our team has been preparing for all season. We're confident in our abilities and are looking forward to the challenge of facing Miami.”

— Matt Painter, Head Coach, Purdue Boilermakers

What’s next

The winner of this game will advance to the Sweet 16 of the NCAA Tournament.

The takeaway

This matchup between the Hurricanes and Boilermakers promises to be an exciting and hard-fought battle, with both teams looking to extend their tournament runs. Whichever team can execute their game plan and limit turnovers will have the best chance of emerging victorious.