The same Purdue squad that lost five times at home this season needed a trip to the Windy City to find its snarl again. The Boilermakers reeled off four wins in four days to seize the Big Ten Tournament championship. The fourth win was the most impressive of them all. Braden Smith had 14 points and 11 assists and shredded Michigan's vaunted defense in Sunday's 80-72 victory.
It's just the second time that Michigan has lost to a Big Ten opponent this season.
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Smith was surgical, surging to within two assists of breaking Bobby Hurley's record for the most assists in college basketball history.
Senior guard Fletcher Loyer brought back "Big Game Fletch" with 14 points, five assists and four boards. Senior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn was a menace in the paint, totaling 20 points with a barrage of on-the-money floaters. Senior big man Oscar Cluff had 21 points and was up to the challenge against Michigan's gargantuan frontline.
Sensing a theme? Seniors die hard in March.
Scroll down for highlights and analysis of Purdue's Big Ten tourney title win over Michigan. And be sure to tune into CBS' March Madness Selection Show (6 p.m. ET; streaming live on CBSSports.com, the CBS Sports App and Paramount+ Premium
Michigan's awesome second-half defense has not shown up today. Purdue is up to a 10-point lead with five minutes to go. Purdue is averaging 1.5 points per possession against the best second-half defense in the sport.
It's all Purdue here early in the second half. The Boilermakers have hit Michigan with a 19-10 haymaker and own a 57-46 lead with 12:06 left. Braden Smith is now just three assists away from becoming the NCAA's all-time leader in assists.
Avert your eyes, Bobby Hurley.
Outstanding first 20 minutes between these two Big Ten titans. The point guard play has been awesome. Purdue's Braden Smith has delivered seven points and five dimes. Michigan's Elliot Cadeau is up to seven points and eight assists after his layup just beat the halftime buzzer.
Game on.
Elliot Cadeau has delivered seven assists and just one turnover for Michigan, and the Wolverines lead 28-26 at the last media timeout of the first half. The much-maligned UNC transfer has honestly been everything you could ask for this season for Dusty May.
Cadeau's advanced stats: 112 offensive rating, 38% from 3 on 137 attempts, 2.25-to-1, assist-to-turnover ratio
Braden Smith has been an assist-wizard in the Big Ten Tournament, but the jumper had evaded him. He entered this one shooting just 4-for-23 from the field this week.
After an 0-for-4 start, Smith had to get a new uniform after his familiar No. 3 got ripped.
Maybe that proved to be helpful?
Donning No. 41, Smith drained his first shot, with that signature pull-up jumper from the elbow.
Maybe a uniform switch was all that he needed.
No. 7 Purdue 15, No. 1 Michigan 13 with 11:06 left
Oscar Cluff has been playing his best basketball in the Big Ten Tournament, and the Purdue big man is off to a quick start. He's totaled six points, two boards and an assist in the first seven minutes.
Purdue: Limit the shot-volume edge
Michigan is so elite at winning the rebounding margin, so Purdue holding serve on the glass is essential. Purdue also can't turn it over. The Boilermakers have no shot at slowing down Michigan in transition. It has to be a halfcourt grinder.
Michigan: Stay out of rotation
Michigan has been terrific this year at mixing defenses and finding answers to the test. You know what you're getting with Purdue. It's a ton of Braden Smith-Trey Kaufman-Renn pick-and-rolls with shooters galore. Staying home, blanketing the 3-point stripe and forcing Braden Smith to be a scorer is the way.
College basketball's long-awaited postseason is here with Selection Sunday and the reveal of the 2026 NCAA Tournament's 68-team bracket. CBS will exclusively air the decision from the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee as the first- and second-round matchups for March Madness are presented live with extensive coverage on Sunday.
There are several elite teams and national championship contenders safely in the field, along with automatic qualifiers entering the final weekend as conference tournaments come to a close. However, multiple bubble teams are patiently waiting to see whether their resumes are strong enough to warrant inclusion.
Michigan and Purdue serves as an appropriate Big Ten Tournament finale after the two top dawgs have been compared ad nauseam since November.
Michigan reached the title game thanks to Yaxel Lendeborg's game-winning 3-pointer in the final second, which propelled the Wolverines to a 68-65 victory over Wisconsin.
The Boilermakers outlasted a short-handed UCLA club, 73-66, behind a 17-point, 14-rebound, double-double from big man Oscar Cluff. The Bruins were already playing without leading scorer Tyler Bilodeau, and preseason All-American point guard Donovan Dent was sidelined with a calf injury and only played 10 minutes.
2026 Big Ten Tournament bracket, scores, schedule as Michigan, Purdue square off for conference title
Duke projected as top overall seed for 2026 NCAA Tournament ahead of Michigan and Arizona
The Blue Devils edge Virginia for the ACC title and remain CBS Sports' projected No. 1 overall seed. Michigan, Arizona and Florida round out the top line as the final conference tournament games settle the 2026 NCAA Tournament picture.
Bracketology: Duke projected as top overall seed for 2026 NCAA Tournament ahead of Michigan and Arizona
