PROVIDENCE, R.I. — Trey Kaufman-Renn delivered a standout performance with 22 points and 15 rebounds as Purdue stormed past McNeese, 76-62, in the second round of the NCAA Tournament on Saturday.
Fletcher Loyer contributed 15 points, while C.J. Cox added 11 for the Boilermakers (24-11), who secured their second consecutive Sweet 16 appearance. Purdue now prepares to face top-seeded Houston in the Midwest Region semifinals in Indianapolis.
Head coach Matt Painter, making his eighth Sweet 16 appearance in 16 NCAA Tournament runs with Purdue, emphasized the importance of offensive execution moving forward.
“We have to play great offensively to keep advancing,” Painter said. “That’s not pressure—it’s just the reality of the tournament.”
McNeese (28-7) saw its historic run come to an end despite a strong effort from Sincere Parker, who led the Cowboys with 17 points. Javohn Garcia added 12. The team was aiming to become the first Southland Conference program to reach the Sweet 16 since Louisiana Tech in 1985.
Purdue quickly seized control of the game, dismantling McNeese’s 2-3 zone defense that had been effective in their first-round upset over Clemson. The Boilermakers hit seven of their first nine shots, including three of four from beyond the arc, to jump out to a commanding early lead. A pair of lengthy scoring droughts by the Cowboys, combined with decisive 10-0 and 9-0 runs from Purdue, helped build a 36-14 first-half advantage.
“They imposed their will from the start,” Parker said. “They made shots, and we didn’t.”
The Boilermakers led for all but 19 seconds of the game, finishing with an 11-of-26 performance from three-point range and dominating the boards with a 41-24 rebounding edge.
“We’ve played really well these past two games,” Kaufman-Renn said. “We stuck to our plan and outrebounded both opponents. That’s a winning formula.”
Key Takeaways
McNeese: The Cowboys struggled to replicate their first-round shooting success, which proved costly.
Purdue: After last year’s run to the national championship game, the Boilermakers are seeing strong performances from Braden Smith and Kaufman-Renn, both of whom played key roles in that title push.
Will Wade’s Next Move?
McNeese head coach Will Wade remained tight-lipped about reports linking him to the head coaching position at N.C. State. However, a source familiar with the situation confirmed to The Associated Press that a deal has been finalized. The school has yet to make an official announcement.
For now, Wade chose to focus on celebrating McNeese’s historic season.
