Braden Smith paces Purdue basketball past Gonzaga and into the Elite 8
DETROIT − Purdue basketball is elite.
The Boilermakers made sure to stamp that with a dominant second half Friday night at Little Caesars Arena.
Sparked by a record-breaking performance from Braden Smith, top-seed Purdue pasted Gonzaga 80-68 to advance to the Elite Eight for the first time since 2019.
Doyel: Mark Few wanted Braden Smith. Now, Gonzaga coach wants Purdue PG to 'go win the f***ing thing.'
Lance Jones was Purdue's missing link: 'I knew what sacrifices I had to make.'
Smith totaled 15 assists, the most by a Boilermaker in an NCAA tournament game and the Boilers won their third straight game by double digits.
Purdue will play Tennessee on Sunday with a chance to advance to its first Final Four since 1980.
It was over when
Gonzaga led a back-and-forth first half 36-35. Lance Jones put the Boilermakers back in front and Zach Edey scored a conventional three-point play. Ethan Morton came off the bench with 9.5 seconds left and fouled Ryan Nembhard twice, draining most of the remaining time.
Trey Kaufman-Renn then scored three straight buckets out of the half and Purdue was off and running.
Zach Edey watch
For the second time this season, Gonzaga did a good job bottling up Purdue's center for a half.
Stopping Edey for a full game has proved an impossible task.
Graham Ike ended up fouling out and Edey finished with 27 points and 14 rebounds.
3 stars
Braden Smith, Purdue: What else can be said about the sophomore point guard? His assists total is the most by any Boilermaker in an NCAA tournament game.
Lance Jones, Purdue: Jones was the difference maker in the first half, making 5-of-7 shots and scoring 12 points in the opening 20. Jones also helped put the clamps on Ryan Nembhard after the junior guard started hot.
Fletcher Loyer, Purdue: The sophomore guard just oozes swagger and hits big shots. Loyer's 10 points all came in pivotal moments.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Braden Smith near-triple-double leads Purdue past Gonzaga into Elite 8
