Inside the game-winning play that advanced Purdue to Elite 8

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Inside the game-winning play that advanced Purdue to Elite 8

Inside the game-winning play that advanced Purdue to Elite 8

Jordan Mendoza, USA TODAY · USA TODAY Sports

Fri, Mar 27, 2026 ·

3 min read

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SAN JOSE, CA — The past four years for Trey Kaufman-Renn all led to Thursday, March 26.

Since he arrived on Purdue's campus in 2022, coach Matt Painter has tried to tell his forward sometimes, it's not the first shot that's the most important, it's the second.

He found out it's indeed true in the Sweet 16 .

Renn came up clutch for No. 2 seed Purdue, getting the game-winning tip-in shot against No. 11 seed Texas to get the Boilermakers in the Elite Eight .

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See reaction to Purdue’s wild tip vs Texas advancing Boilermakers to Elite 8

Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the game winning shot against the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.

(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers celebrates with teammates after making the game-winning shot against the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against Matas Vokietaitis #8 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

Fletcher Loyer #2 of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

Omer Mayer #17 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against Dailyn Swain #3 of the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

Head coach Matt Painter of the Purdue Boilermakers reacts against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against Nic Codie #10 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against Tramon Mark #12 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers looks on against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against Nic Codie #10 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

Purdue Pete, mascot of the Purdue Boilermakers, reacts against the Texas Longhorns in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against Tramon Mark #12 and Chendall Weaver #2 of the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

Omer Mayer #17 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

C.J. Cox #0 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

Camden Heide #5 of the Texas Longhorns reacts against Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

Braden Smith #3 of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against Simeon Wilcher #7 of the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the second half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Thearon W. Henderson, Getty Images)

Braden Smith #3 and Oscar Cluff #45 of the Purdue Boilermakers react on the bench against the Texas Longhorns during the first half in the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026 in San Jose, California.
(Ezra Shaw, Getty Images)

It was the heroics Purdue needed to avoid another March Madness loss to a double-digit seed, and for a moment, it seemed possible. Texas' Dailyn Swain got a bucket and the foul to tie the score with 11 seconds to go, setting up Purdue for the final shot.

After a timeout, guard Braden Smith brought the ball down and drove to his right for a floater. The play was fully designed for him, meant for him to drive down and get the shot. The only thing was to make sure he didn't get blocked.

The moment the ball left his hand, he thought that would seal it.

"Honestly, it left the hand, I thought it was in," Smith said. "I was hopping kind of excitedly."

But the ball bounced off the rim, suddenly changing his thoughts.

"It took a weird bounce, and it was off," he added.

It completely altered the mindset of Renn too. The forward thought it was the look his teammate wanted, and figured that would be it. Once he saw the shot go off the rim, then it was time to prepare for the lesson his coach had been trying to tell him.

"I just tried to get myself in position to get a rebound or a post if his defender cut him off," Renn said.

The ball bounced perfectly for him to get the putback, and at that point, all he thought was he just needed to get his hand on it.

"It's not like it's a shot you practice every single day, although I do practice some crazy shots every day," he said. "I just tried to get a hand on the ball and give us another chance."

The last chance Purdue needed. The second-chance bucket sent the Boilermakers crowd of the SAP Center in the arena into a frenzy, elated to see the team advance to the Elite Eight for the second time in three seasons.

Pretty much everyone in black and gold was excited, except for Renn – yet.

"I was kind of nervous," Renn said. "I was like 'Man, I got to go back on defense now.'"

Fortunately, Texas' Jordan Pope was unable to hit the long heave for the miracle win, and as the shot clanked off the timebox, the Boilermakers hounded the game's savior. It was only at that moment Renn finally felt excited, understanding the lesson his coach had been preaching came to life.

"It's kind of cool to actually experience that," Renn said.

Purdue's game-winner highlighted something that helped Purdue stave off Texas in the second chance opportunities, outsourcing the Longhorns 22-12 in the category.

"We're always, like if that clock is low, don't get back on defense. Make sure everybody gets to the glass," said Painter.

It was going to be a battle on the boards, as both teams entered the night top 20 in the country in rebound margin.

The final result? Texas 31 rebounds, Purdue 32 – with the last one being the difference in surviving and advancing.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Inside Purdue's game-winning play to advance to Elite 8

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