Braden Smith, a guard for Purdue basketball, made history on Saturday night at the Kohl Center by setting the Big Ten’s all-time assists record. His achievement was celebrated by fans who chanted his name after he dished out his 891st assist to Oscar Cluff in the second half. Smith then added two more assists, surpassing Michigan State’s Cassius Winston’s previous record.

Purdue went on to secure an 89-73 victory, overcoming some challenges against Wisconsin. The Boilermakers (12-1, 3-0 Big Ten) have now won three consecutive games at the Kohl Center, and they managed to withstand a late surge from the Badgers (9-5, 1-2). Although Wisconsin cut Purdue’s lead from as many as 25 points down to 11, the Boilers eventually pulled ahead once more.

Smith led the offensive effort with 14 points and 12 assists, while Fletcher Loyer contributed a team-high 20 points along with five rebounds and three assists. C.J. Cox added 14 points, Oscar Cluff had 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Trey Kaufman-Renn scored 11 points.

On the other side, Wisconsin’s Nick Boyd led the scoring with 24 points, and Nolan Winter added 18. However, the Boilers managed to limit John Blackwell to just nine points on 4-of-11 shooting, with him missing all five of his three-point attempts.

Game Recap

The game saw several key moments, including:

• Braden Smith’s historic performance: Smith set the Big Ten assists record by passing Michigan State’s Cassius Winston. He recorded 10 assists in the game, including one that led to Oscar Cluff’s layup and-1 to make it 77-52 with 9:22 remaining.

• Purdue’s balanced attack: Five players reached double figures, with Smith contributing 11 points and 10 assists, and Loyer adding 17 points.

• Second-half dominance: Purdue started the second half with a 10-0 run over 1:55, extending their lead to 25 points before Wisconsin made a late push.

• Key plays: Oscar Cluff’s dunk extended Purdue’s lead, and Daniel Jacobsen’s dunk following a pass from Trey Kaufman-Renn forced a Wisconsin timeout.

Key Players and Stats

• Purdue’s starting lineup included Braden Smith, C.J. Cox, Fletcher Loyer, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Oscar Cluff.
• Wisconsin’s starting five featured Nick Boyd, John Blackwell, Andrew Rohde, Aleksas Bieliauskas, and Nolan Winter.
• Injury reports: Both teams had clean bills of health, with no players listed as injured.

Game Details

• Start time: The Purdue-Wisconsin game began at 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 3, 2026, at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wisconsin.
• TV broadcast: The game was televised on Fox.
• Streaming options: Fans could watch the game via Fubo with a free trial.
• Radio coverage: The game was available on 96.5 FM in Lafayette, 1260 AM in Indianapolis, and SiriusXM Channels 81 and 385.

Predictions and Analysis

• Nathan Baird (IndyStar) predicted a Purdue win with a score of 80-71, citing Oscar Cluff, Trey Kaufman-Renn, and Daniel Jacobsen as key players against Wisconsin’s bigs.
• Sam King (Journal & Courier) expected a close game, noting that Purdue’s guard play would be crucial. He highlighted C.J. Cox’s ability to frustrate opposing teams’ top scorers.

Purdue Basketball Roster

The Boilermakers’ roster includes players such as:

• C.J. Cox
• Fletcher Loyer
• Braden Smith
• Trey Kaufman-Renn
• Oscar Cluff
• And others like Liam Murphy, Daniel Jacobsen, Omer Mayer, and Gicarri Harris.

Upcoming Schedule

Purdue’s upcoming schedule features games against Washington, Penn State, and Iowa, all scheduled for later in the week.