Purdue stars Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer have played far more games together than any other current trio in college basketball. They hope to end their decorated careers a short drive from campus on college basketball’s biggest stage: the Final Four in Indianapolis.
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NASA astronaut says his medical scare remains a mysteryA red fox stows away on a cargo ship, traveling from England to the USA Medicaid 'spend down' may get an older person long-term care coverage but isn't a DIY strategyAt Middle Creek, timing and distance shape a photo of migrating geeseThe World in PicturesUganda reintroduces rhinos into a protected area where they have been extinct since 1983Dietary supplement makers push the FDA to allow peptides and other new ingredientsAs demand for GLP-1 pills and shots surges, healthy habits are still keyAI is giving bad advice to flatter its users, says new study on dangers of overly agreeable chatbotsThe future of fish is looking a lot like meatTrump interrumpe reunión del gabinete sobre Irán y el aumento de precios para hablar de plumonesLive updates: Iranian missile attack wounds 10 US troops at Saudi air base, AP sources sayThe Afternoon WireTrump signs executive order to pay TSA workers with other funds after House rejects funding billUS Treasury plans to put Trump's signature on new paper currency in first for sitting presidentTiger Woods arrested on suspicion of DUI after rollover crash, sheriff saysUS book critics honor Nobel laureate and South Korean novelist Han KangWall Street drops again to close its 5th straight losing week and its worst since the Iran warHe suddenly couldn't speak in space. NASA astronaut says his medical scare remains a mysteryA red fox stows away on a cargo ship, traveling from England to the USA Medicaid 'spend down' may get an older person long-term care coverage but isn't a DIY strategyAt Middle Creek, timing and distance shape a photo of migrating geeseThe World in PicturesUganda reintroduces rhinos into a protected area where they have been extinct since 1983Dietary supplement makers push the FDA to allow peptides and other new ingredientsAs demand for GLP-1 pills and shots surges, healthy habits are still keyAI is giving bad advice to flatter its users, says new study on dangers of overly agreeable chatbotsThe future of fish is looking a lot like meatTrump interrumpe reunión del gabinete sobre Irán y el aumento de precios para hablar de plumonesPurdue guard Fletcher Loyer, center, answers questions next to guard Braden Smith, left, and guard C.J. Cox during a press conference ahead of a game against Arizona in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 27, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn answers questions during a press conference ahead of a game against Arizona in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 27, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn tips the ball over Texas forward Dailyn Swain for the game-winning basket during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. Purdue guard Braden Smith answers questions during a press conference ahead of a game against Arizona in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 27, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. Purdue guard Fletcher Loyer, center, answers questions next to guard Braden Smith, left, and guard C.J. Cox during a press conference ahead of a game against Arizona in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 27, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. Purdue guard Fletcher Loyer, center, answers questions next to guard Braden Smith, left, and guard C.J. Cox during a press conference ahead of a game against Arizona in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 27, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn answers questions during a press conference ahead of a game against Arizona in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 27, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn answers questions during a press conference ahead of a game against Arizona in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 27, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn tips the ball over Texas forward Dailyn Swain for the game-winning basket during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. Purdue forward Trey Kaufman-Renn tips the ball over Texas forward Dailyn Swain for the game-winning basket during the second half in the Sweet 16 of the NCAA college basketball tournament, Thursday, March 26, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. Purdue guard Braden Smith answers questions during a press conference ahead of a game against Arizona in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 27, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. Purdue guard Braden Smith answers questions during a press conference ahead of a game against Arizona in the Elite Eight of the NCAA college basketball tournament Friday, March 27, 2026, in San Jose, Calif. SAN JOSE, Calif. — Braden Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer began their time at Purdue with a lopsided win at Mackey Arena against Milwaukee.in the NCAA Tournament’s West Region final on Saturday night, the trio of stars can end their decorated careers a short drive from campus on college basketball’s biggest stage: the The four-year journey for Smith, Kaufman-Renn and Loyer has been a bit of a roller coaster, with some heartbreaking lows like losing as a No. 1 seed in the first round of theas freshmen and exhilarating highs like reaching the title game the following season. This year, the second-seeded Boilermakers beat Texas in the Sweet 16 on Thursday night on a “I think having that experience what it takes to be there before, I think it helps,” Smith said Friday. “Having a core group of guys that have done it.” It has also been extremely unusual in the modern era of college basketball, when players can freely transfer and are often searching for better opportunities. The game on Saturday will be the 147th the three have played together, with Kaufman-Renn missing two others to start this season when he was injured. That’s more than 50 games more than the next-highest active trio have played together — Connecticut’s Alex Karaban, Solo Ball and Jaylin Stewart — and the most for any three teammates since Richmond’s Jacob Gilyard, Nathan Cayo and Grant Golden played 150 games together from 2017-18 to 2021-22, according to Sportradar. “We’ve played together for four years,” Smith said. “We know our strengths and our weaknesses, and we understand what gets each other going. Honestly, I respect these two guys so much. They got on me for my performance, and I want that, because they would want me to do the same for them. They hold me accountable.”by Smith. Only eight other players who were active in Division I this season have scored at least 1,600 points at one school over the past four seasons Purdue is the only one with multiple such players. The three have played more than 12,000 minutes and helped Purdue win 117 games over the past four years. But their tournament careers started with an excruciating loss when the Boilermakers became the second No. 1 seed ever to lose to a No. 16 seed in the first round. That is mostly a distant memory now, thanks to a run to the finals the following year, a trip to the Sweet 16 last season and winning a Big Ten tournament title and reaching the Elite Eight as seniors after Kaufman-Renn’s game-winner. “When you have so much experience, I think you stay composed and then you execute,” Kaufman-Renn said. “When you have either younger teams or teams where there are so many different guys from different schools, you just don’t have that connectivity, synergy, whatever you want to call it.” That connectivity has allowed Purdue to bounce back from a 6-7 finish to the regular season with seven straight wins in the postseason, including a Big Ten title. “It makes your job easier when you are talking to someone who has been there for four years or five years,” coach Matt Painter said. “It makes it a lot easier, because what you want to have more than anything is that you want a players-led team. That’s always the best team. That’s what we have. These guys are very selfless, but they have a big voice in what we do and how we go about things, and they have a lot of pride in that.” The situation is different for Arizona, which has no one on the roster who has spent four seasons with the Wildcats, relying instead on transfers and a talented freshman class led by Brayden Burries, Koa Peat and Ivan Kharchenkov. Those three combined for 59 points in a 109-88 victory over Arkansas in the Sweet 16. The Wildcats have gotten a higher share of scoring from freshmen than any team other than Duke that made the tournament. “We have a talented group of freshmen,” senior Jaden Bradley said. “They’re very poised. They control the tempo. ... We’re talented. Purdue’s a great team, very poised, like you said, an older team. It’s going to be a battle.”Dubow is an NFL writer for The Associated Press who covers the San Francisco 49ers and provides weekly analysis of NFL statistics.Trump signs executive order to pay TSA workers with other funds after House rejects funding bill
Basketball Purdue Boilermakers College Sports Fletcher College Basketball NCAA Mens Division I Basketball Championship Mens College Basketball Arizona March Madness NCAA Tournament NCAA Mens Bracket AZ State Wire Purdue Boilermakers Mens Basketball California IN State Wire Indiana Nathan Cayo Jaylin Stewart Jaden Bradley Sports Alex Karaban Brayden Burries Ivan Kharchenkov Grant Golden Matt Painter Jacob Gilyard
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