Boilermakers Bust Brackets, Book Sweet 16 Ticket

The Purdue Boilermakers are heating up at just the right time in March Madness, and they’ve got their sights set on Houston. After fending off a scrappy High Point team in round one, the Boilers came out blazing against McNeese in round two, cruising to a 76-62 win to advance to the Sweet 16.

Trey Kaufman-Renn poured in 22 points and grabbed 15 boards in a blue-collar, lunch-pail performance that had Boiler Nation cheering. Fletcher Loyer added 15 points and helped Purdue stretch the floor, knocking down key shots early as the Boilers built a 36-14 lead by halftime.

The paint belonged to Purdue, who owned the glass with a 41-24 rebounding edge and drained 11 three-pointers. From the opening tip, Matt Painter’s crew looked locked in, executing with confidence and poise. The Boilermakers will now take their hammer to the hardwood against top-seeded Houston in a must-watch Midwest Regional semifinal matchup.