3/26/26 Texas, Smith dribbles

Senior guard Braden Smith dribbles during Thursday's Sweet 16 matchup against Texas at The SAP Center in San Jose, California. Smith led the Boilermakers with five assists.

If Purdue’s 79-77 last-second victory over the No. 11-seed Texas Longhorns wasn’t enough to raise your cortisol levels to a record high, it’s time to buckle up.

Trey Kaufman-Renn’s tip-in with 0.7 seconds left in the game propelled the Boilermakers to their first Elite Eight since the team’s National Championship appearance in 2024. The senior forward’s prowess in the paint may have saved the season, but it’s going to take an all-around effort to take down the No. 1-seed Arizona Wildcats on Saturday night.

Originally published on purdueexponent.org, part of the BLOX Digital Content Exchange.