US EditionBraden Smith's heroics help No. 5 Purdue hold off USC
- At the Galen Center on Saturday, Purdue Boilermakers defeated USC Trojans 69-64 in Los Angeles on Jan. 17, 2026.
- Buoyed by a partisan crowd, USC built a 16-0 run to open a 22-8 lead, but Purdue responded with a 30-10 surge to lead 38-32 at halftime.
- Braden Smith provided the standout play, finishing with a game-high 22 points, five assists, four rebounds, and a late steal and layup with 23 seconds remaining that secured Purdue's win.
- The victory lifted Purdue Boilermakers into a first-place tie with Nebraska in the Big Ten standings and marked the program's ninth consecutive win.
- They'll head across town Tuesday to face UCLA at Pauley Pavilion, capping Purdue Boilermakers' first Los Angeles trip since December 1972.
29 Articles
29 Articles
LA Daily News
USC men fight to final minute in loss to No. 5 Purdue
LOS ANGELES — The number of Purdue fans in Galen Center on Saturday afternoon overpowered their USC hosts. They drowned out in-game host DJ Mal-ski during his introduction and chanted over the Trojans’ player intro video. The Boilermakers were in L.A. for the first time since December 1972 and were brimming with anticipation of possibly witnessing the program’s 1,000th win. The Trojans channeled the energy of the crowd until they were breathing …
Jacob Cofie and USC fall just short of an upset in loss to No. 5 Purdue
The USC men’s basketball team had its opponent on the ropes midway through the first half, but was unable to deliver the knockout blow Saturday afternoon at Galen Center. Showing why it is one of the best teams in the country, No. 5 Purdue battled back to take the lead by halftime and made enough plays in the final minutes to win 69-64 and remain perfect in Big Ten play. Chad Baker-Mazara scored 15 points and Jacob Cofie added 13 points and 15 r…
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