Purdue Guard Braden Smith Named Big Ten Basketball Freshman of the Week
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Purdue guard Braden Smith was named the Big Ten men's basketball Freshman of the Week for a standout performance in the team's 75-70 victory over Marquette last week.
Smith earned the conference honor for the first time in his career after scoring 20 points with three assists and two rebounds, leading the Boilermakers to a win inside Mackey Arena and a 3-0 record. He went 6-of-8 from the field, 3-of-4 from the 3-point line and 5-of-6 from the free throw line.
Six of Smith's points came in under a minute, propelling the team to a 65-62 lead with 4:20 left to play in the game. Purdue had just six turnovers against Marquette, a team that entered the matchup averaging 18.5 turnovers per game.
Smith scored 15 points in the second half, including nine points in the final five minutes. After three games, he is second on the team with 10.7 points per game while adding 3.0 rebounds, 2.7 assists and 2.3 steals per contest.
"Those moments where I was super, super tired, just hearing the crowd and hearing my teammates ... to be able to have that kind of makes me forget about how I'm feeling and be more focused on the game," Smith said of his late-game performance.
Purdue will be back in action on Thursday, Nov. 24, against West Virginia in the first round of the Phil Knight Legacy Tournament in Portland, Ore. The team will then move on to play either No. 6 Gonzaga or Portland State on Friday.
Related Stories on Purdue Basketball
- Purdue Enters Associated Press College Basketball Top 25: For the eighth straight season, Purdue basketball is ranked in the Associated Press Top 25 poll. The Boilermakers are 3-0 following a 75-70 win over Marquette and are preparing for a trip to Portland, Ore., for the Phil Knight Legacy Tournament. CLICK HERE
- Shaka Smart Offers High Praise for Purdue Basketball Program: Marquette basketball coach Shaka Smart spoke to the media following Tuesday night's 75-70 loss to Purdue at Mackey Arena. He offered high praise for coach Matt Painter and the Boilermakers. CLICK HERE
- Braden Smith Fuels Purdue Basketball in 75-70 Win Over Marquette: Purdue freshman guard Braden Smith scored 20 points on 6-of-8 shooting and made three 3-pointers in a victory over Marquette. The team improved to 3-0 for the second consecutive season before a trip to Portland, Ore., for the Phil Knight Legacy Tournament. CLICK HERE
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.