In Providence, Rhode Island, Purdue surged into the NCAA Tournament’s Sweet 16 after a formidable 76-62 victory over McNeese on Saturday during the tournament’s second round. Trey Kaufman-Renn played a pivotal role, contributing 22 points and a substantial 15 rebounds for the Boilermakers. In addition, Fletcher Loyer added 15 points to the scoreboard, while C.J. Cox ended the game with 11 points. This impressive performance means that Purdue, with a record of 24-11, has reached the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive year.
The Boilermakers are set to face Houston, the top seed, in the Midwest Region semifinals in Indianapolis. Matt Painter, the Purdue coach, has now led his team to the Sweet 16 in eight of his 16 NCAA Tournament appearances. Leading his team through this successful tournament run, Painter emphasized the importance of sustaining their offensive efficiency for further advancement. “We can’t go further without playing great offensively,” he remarked. “Executing well and shooting effectively aren’t just pivotal; they’re a necessity.”
For McNeese, despite a valiant effort led by Sincere Parker, who scored 17 points, and Javohn Garcia with 12 points, it was a challenging end to their tournament run. This defeat was particularly poignant as it concluded a historic season where McNeese won its first NCAA Tournament match under the leadership of coach Will Wade. The Cowboys aspired to make Southland Conference history as the first team to reach the Sweet 16 since Louisiana Tech in 1985.
Throughout the game, Purdue demonstrated superiority by hitting seven of their first nine field goals and making three out of four early 3-point attempts, giving them an early commanding lead. Runs of 10-0 and 9-0 by Purdue were instrumental in building a significant 36-14 advantage in the first half. The Boilermakers’ aggressive start and overall dominance contributed to them maintaining control for the majority of the game, only trailing for 19 seconds. “From the start of the game, they kind of imposed their will on us,” Parker admitted. “They made shots, and we missed shots.”
Purdue’s three-point shooting accuracy, with 11 out of 26 successful attempts, combined with a dominant 41-24 advantage in rebounds, sealed their victory. Kaufman-Renn noted the team’s strong performance over the past two games, saying, “We executed well and stuck to our game plan, and then we outrebounded both teams. That’s a winning game plan.”
The defeat was a result of McNeese’s struggle with poor shooting, which hindered any chance they had at replicating their first-round success. As Purdue advances, they’ll likely need to lean on their defensive capabilities against Houston, renowned as the nation’s fifth-ranked 3-point shooting team.
Meanwhile, Will Wade’s future appears to be in flux, as rumors swirl about a potential move to N.C. State. Although Wade remained tight-lipped regarding his next steps, he expressed pride in McNeese’s achievements this season. “I’ll worry about that tomorrow,” Wade expressed. “Today, I want to put a bow on everything with McNeese, if we can.”