Purdue 80, Michigan 72: Boilermakers Win Big Ten Championship, Deny Wolverines Back-to-Back Titles
No. 18 Purdue has done it. The Boilermakers stunned No. 3 Michigan 80-72 on Sunday at the United Center in Chicago, winning the Big Ten Tournament championship for the first time since 2023. Oscar Cluff delivered a dominant 21-point performance, Trey Kaufman-Renn added 20 points on blazing efficiency, and Braden Smith orchestrated the upset with a masterful 14-point, 11-assist double-double.
Oscar Cluff and Trey Kaufman-Renn Dominate Michigan Inside
Oscar Cluff and Trey Kaufman-Renn were simply unstoppable in the Big Ten championship game. Oscar Cluff scored 21 points and Trey Kaufman-Renn had 20 points on 10-of-15 shooting as No. 18 Purdue topped No. 3 Michigan 80-72 for the Big Ten tournament championship.
Cluff went 7-of-11 from the field and was an aggressive force at the rim all afternoon, converting at 87.5 percent at the basket. Kaufman-Renn was even more efficient, shooting 66.7 percent and doing most of his damage in the paint — scoring 18 of his 20 points in the lane. The two combined for 41 points on just 26 shots, a performance that overwhelmed Michigan's interior defense.
Purdue's Second Half Dismantles Michigan Defense
The game turned decisively at halftime — and Purdue did not look back. Purdue outscored Michigan 22-8 to start the second half, with Braden Smith muscling a shot over 7-foot-3 Michigan center Aday Mara, drawing the foul and completing the and-1 as the Boilermakers built a commanding double-digit lead.
Purdue made nine of their first 11 shots in the second half and shot 15-for-26 overall after the break, averaging 1.5 points per possession against what had been the best second-half defense in college basketball all season. Michigan, which prided itself on clamping down in the second half throughout the regular season, had no answer.
Braden Smith's Historic Assist Night
Braden Smith stole the show with his playmaking. Smith had 14 points, 11 assists, and three steals, adding to his stunning turnaround after Purdue closed the regular season with four losses in six games.
Smith is now just three assists shy of becoming the NCAA's all-time leader in assists, with Bobby Hurley's record firmly in his sights heading into March Madness. Fletcher Loyer added 14 points off three three-pointers, providing crucial spacing that kept Michigan's defense from collapsing on Cluff and Kaufman-Renn in the post.
Final Box Score — Purdue vs Michigan Big Ten Championship
| Player | Team | Points | Key Stats |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oscar Cluff | Purdue | 21 | 7-11 FG, 5 REB, 6 fouls drawn |
| Trey Kaufman-Renn | Purdue | 20 | 10-15 FG, 18 PTS in paint |
| Braden Smith | Purdue | 14 | 11 AST, 3 STL, double-double |
| Fletcher Loyer | Purdue | 14 | 3-4 from 3, 5 AST |
| Yaxel Lendeborg | Michigan | 20 | 8-14 FG, 4 three-pointers |
| Aday Mara | Michigan | 14 | 7-9 FG, 7 REB |
| Nimari Burnett | Michigan | 12 | 5-9 FG, 2 threes |
Michigan's Lendeborg Battles Hard but Wolverines Fall Short
Michigan did not go quietly. Yaxel Lendeborg scored 20 points for top-seeded Michigan (31-3), which beat Purdue 91-80 in their regular-season meeting in February. Lendeborg had reached the title game on the strength of his game-winning three-pointer over Wisconsin on Saturday — a shot CBS Sports' Ian Eagle called the "Triple Yaxel" that immediately had T-shirts printed and selling on the United Center floor.
Michigan coach Dusty May acknowledged the loss was earned. "They earned it," May said. "Obviously, we weren't at our best, but, obviously, Purdue has something to do with that."
Purdue Earns No. 2 NCAA Tournament Seed — Bracket Implications
Purdue won the Big Ten tournament for the first time since 2023 and the third time overall. The Boilermakers received a No. 2 seed for the NCAA tournament and will play Queens on Friday in the first round of the West Region.
Purdue reeled off four straight wins in four days at the United Center, beating Rutgers, Northwestern, Illinois, UCLA, and finally Michigan to claim the title. Matt Painter's squad entered the tournament as the seventh seed and leaves Chicago as Big Ten champions — and with serious March Madness momentum entering the NCAA Tournament bracket.
