SAN DIEGO — Trey Kaufman-Renn made a significant impact in the second half, scoring 15 of his total 22 points to lead No. 13 Purdue to a 71-61 victory over N.C. State in the first round of the Rady Children’s Invitational on Thursday.
This matchup rekindled memories of the teams’ encounter in last season’s Final Four, where Purdue emerged victorious with a score of 63-50 before ultimately falling to UConn in the championship.

Alongside Kaufman-Renn’s strong performance, Camden Heide contributed 15 points to the Boilermakers’ cause, while Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer chipped in with 11 and 10 points, respectively, for a Purdue team now boasting a 6-1 record.
For N.C. State, Jayden Taylor led the scoring with 15 points, followed closely by Brandon Huntley-Hatfield, who added 13 points, putting the Wolfpack at 5-1 for the season.

Purdue’s largest advantage in the game reached 15 points when Heide sank a corner three-pointer with just 1:48 remaining, extending the score to 71-56.

Points of Focus: N.C. State managed to keep the game competitive in the first half, trailing only slightly at 33-32 at halftime. However, they struggled to contain Kaufman-Renn’s dominant play inside during the latter period of the game, which ultimately shifted momentum in favor of Purdue.

For Purdue, this victory represents their pursuit of a fourth consecutive title in a Thanksgiving tournament. The Boilermakers have traveled west for the holiday weekend for the third straight year. Last year, they secured the Maui Invitational, and two years ago they triumphed at the Phil Knight Legacy in Portland, achieving victory against Gonzaga in both events.

A pivotal moment in the game occurred early in the second half when Kaufman-Renn scored the first six points for Purdue, propelling them to a 39-34 lead within the first two minutes of the half.

Statistically, Purdue dominated the boards, out-rebounding N.C. State 38-28, with Kaufman-Renn leading with eight rebounds.

Looking forward, Purdue will face the winner of the game between No. 23 Mississippi and BYU in the championship match on Sunday.