Kaufman-Renn's Last-Second Tip-In Sends Purdue to Elite Eight

With 0.7 seconds on the clock and the game tied, Trey Kaufman-Renn positioned himself under the front of the rim, watched Braden Smith's right-baseline runner bounce off the backboard and rim, and tipped it in with his right hand. Purdue 79, Texas 77. The Boilermakers are going to the Elite Eight.

The fifth-year forward's putback at SAP Center in San Jose sent No. 2 Purdue past No. 11 Texas on Thursday night in a Sweet 16 that came down to the final fraction of a second. The win advances Purdue to its seventh Elite Eight in program history and third since 2019.

Kaufman-Renn was the dominant force all night before delivering the decisive moment. He hit his first seven shots from the floor, going 6-for-6 with five rebounds in the first half alone, on the way to 20 points. He finished 8-for-10 from the field with eight rebounds, the game's most complete performance. Kaufman-Renn, Smith, and Fletcher Loyer combined for 54 points in the win.

The final 40 seconds were relentless. Smith drove to the lane with 37.7 seconds remaining and converted a layup to give Purdue a three-point edge. Texas missed a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession but retained the ball after a jump ball with 21.5 seconds left. Purdue fouled immediately; Matas Vokietaitis made both free throws to trim the lead to one. CJ Cox answered with two free throws of his own to push Purdue back up by three.

Texas tied it moments later when Dailyn Swain made a driving layup, was fouled, and converted the three-point play with 11.9 seconds to go. Purdue called timeout to set up one final possession.

Texas had subbed 7-foot center Vokietaitis out of the game with 11 seconds left, giving Purdue a better opportunity in the paint. Texas coach Sean Miller replaced him with Nic Codie during the timeout. Smith dribbled out nearly half the remaining clock, then took a runner from the right baseline. The shot caromed around and Kaufman-Renn finished it off.

Texas guard Tramon Mark scored 29 points for the Longhorns, grimacing and clearly in pain as he limped on his injured leg through the closing minutes. His total was the most by a Texas player in an NCAA Tournament game since Kevin Durant scored 30 against Southern California in 2007. Mark finished 11-of-15 from the field and 5-of-7 on 3-pointers.

Loyer played a pivotal role in the first-half swing that kept Purdue in control at the break. With the score tied 30-30 late in the first half, Vokietaitis swung his elbow trying to rip through Oscar Cluff's defense and caught CJ Cox in the face, drawing a flagrant foul. Loyer converted the flagrant free throws, then hit a 3-pointer on the ensuing possession and added a midrange jumper, scoring seven points in 58 seconds to carry Purdue to a 39-35 halftime lead. Loyer finished with 18 points, three assists, and all four of the Boilermakers' made 3-pointers on the night.

Vokietaitis and Oscar Cluff were in foul trouble deep into the second half and had to sit extended stretches because of it. Vokietaitis played just 23 minutes and accumulated four fouls, including a dead-ball technical for a flailing elbow. Cluff fouled out but finished with 11 points and six rebounds after a scoreless first half.

Texas opened the second half on a 14-6 run to erase the deficit, setting off a back-and-forth battle that featured 16 lead changes and 10 ties before Kaufman-Renn ended it. Neither team held greater than a four-point advantage in the second half.

Smith finished with 16 points, five assists, and two steals. His five dimes in the Sweet 16 game gave him 1,096 career assists, building on the NCAA Division I career record he set when Purdue beat Queens 104-71 in the first round. Braden Smith scored on his final drive but didn't get the win himself. "I was standing under the rim, I said 'Please go in there, please go in there,'" Smith said. "Trey tipped it perfectly and I was like 'Thank God, thank God that went in.'"

Purdue, now 30-8, advances to Saturday's Elite Eight against either top-seeded Arizona or No. 4 seed Arkansas.