Purdue's Braden Smith Shatters Assists Record

0:00On March 15th, Purdue Boilermakers captured the Big Ten Tournament title with an 80-72 win over Michigan at the United Center in Chicago. Point guard Braden Smith earned tournament MVP honors thanks to his standout play, especially after half-time in the championship game. Smith shattered the record for most assists in a single Big Ten Tournament, dishing out 46 over the week. In the final, he tallied 11 assists, just one short of Bobby Hurley's career mark from back in the day. Fans and analysts are buzzing about Smith's vision on the court, putting Purdue in prime position for a deep NCAA run. Oscar Cluff made a solid case for MVP, too, averaging 17.3 points and 9.5 rebounds for the tournament. Other standouts included Wisconsin's John Blackwell and Nick Boyd, plus Michigan's Ade Mara on the All Tournament team. Adequals produced last title win in 2023 when Zach Edie took home MVP. With that assists record in the books, Smith could chase Hurley's career milestone right away and produce opening NCAA tournament match-up.

1:08Keeping the momentum rolling strong.