Purdue trails Miami 40-38 at halftime

Boilermakers and Hurricanes locked in tight NCAA Tournament battle

Mar. 22, 2026 at 4:58pm

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The 2-seed Purdue Boilermakers are in a close contest with the 7-seed Miami Hurricanes in the Second Round of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament. Purdue sophomore guard CJ Cox hit three straight three-pointers to keep the Boilers close, but Miami's Tre Donaldson hit a last-second jumper to give the Canes a 40-38 halftime lead.

Why it matters

This is a critical matchup in the NCAA Tournament, with the winner advancing to the Sweet Sixteen. Both teams have had strong seasons and are looking to make a deep run in the tournament.

The details

Purdue senior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn leads the Boilermakers with 12 points, while senior guard Fletcher Loyer has 10 points, including two three-pointers. Loyer has now hit 300 career three-pointers, becoming the first Purdue player to reach that milestone.

  • The game is being played on March 22, 2026 in St. Louis, Missouri.

The players

CJ Cox

Purdue sophomore guard who hit three straight three-pointers to keep the Boilermakers close.

Tre Donaldson

Miami Hurricanes player who hit a last-second jumper to give Miami a 40-38 halftime lead.

Trey Kaufman-Renn

Purdue senior forward who leads the Boilermakers with 12 points.

Fletcher Loyer

Purdue senior guard who has 10 points, including two three-pointers, and has become the first Purdue player to hit 300 career three-pointers.

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The takeaway

This is a closely contested NCAA Tournament game between two talented teams, with the winner advancing to the Sweet Sixteen. Both teams have key players stepping up, setting the stage for an exciting second half.