Braden Smith Sets NCAA Assists Record

Purdue University senior point guard Braden Smith became the NCAA Division I all-time leader in career assists Thursday night, surpassing former Duke star Bobby Hurley's mark of 1,076 during the first half of the Boilermakers' first-round NCAA Tournament game against Queens University in St. Louis.

Smith entered the matchup with 1,075 assists, needing just one to tie the record set by Hurley in 1993. He matched it early in the first half with a pass to teammate Oscar Cluff, then broke it with 12:11 remaining by feeding Trey Kaufman-Renn for an and-one basket that gave Purdue an 11-4 lead. The crowd at Enterprise Center, filled largely with Boilermakers supporters, rose for a standing ovation as the game paused briefly to honor the achievement. Smith, playing in his 146th career game, acknowledged the moment with a quick raise of his finger before refocusing on the court.

The No. 2-seeded Boilermakers, fresh off a Big Ten Tournament title and a four-game winning streak, defeated the No. 15-seeded Royals to advance. Smith contributed 15 points and five assists in 18 first-half minutes alone, helping Purdue build a commanding lead. Purdue coach Matt Painter, speaking during a break...