Braden Smith's 22 Points Carry No. 5 Purdue Past USC 69-64

Braden Smith scored 22 points, including a steal and layup in the final minute, as No. 5 Purdue rallied past USC 69-64 on Saturday at the Galen Center. The Boilermakers improved to 17-1 and 7-0 in Big Ten play.

USC opened the game with a 16-0 run and led by as many as 14 in the first half. Chad Baker-Mazara sparked the surge, and the Trojans took advantage of Purdue's cold shooting to build a 22-8 lead with 10 minutes left in the half. But the Boilermakers steadied themselves, and Purdue took a 38-32 lead into the break.

Trojans Strike First

The second half was a grind. Starters Oscar Cluff and Fletcher Loyer each picked up their fourth fouls, forcing Purdue to lean on its bench. Jack Benter answered, drawing a pair of charges, hitting a three-pointer, adding a steal and feeding Trey Kaufman-Renn underneath to fuel an 8-1 run that gave Purdue a 57-54 lead with 7:47 to play.

Smith Closes It Out

With the game tied late, Smith took over. His steal and layup in the final minute capped a 12-4 closing run that sealed the 69-64 win. Smith finished 7 of 14 from the field, including 4 of 6 from three-point range, with five assists and four rebounds.

Cluff added 19 points on 7-of-8 shooting with six rebounds and four assists despite the foul trouble, and Daniel Jacobsen filled in at center while Cluff sat.

USC's Missed Chances

The Trojans owned the glass 40-32 and shot nearly 46 percent from the floor, but they connected on just 3 of 20 three-pointers and 5 of 14 free throws. Baker-Mazara led USC with 15 points and three blocks. Jacob Cofie earned his fourth double-double of the season with 13 points and 15 rebounds, and Ezra Ausar added 11 points and eight rebounds.

USC fell to 14-4 overall and 3-4 in Big Ten play. Purdue heads across town to face UCLA on Tuesday.