Purdue beat No. 7 Miami 79-69 behind Fletcher Loyer's 24 points, reaching its third consecutive Sweet 16. No. 11 Texas waits Thursday in the Elite Eight bracket.
Three straight Sweet 16s. That alone tells you something about what Matt Painter has built at Purdue.
The Boilermakers dispatched No. 7 Miami 79-69 on Sunday in a game that was close for about 25 minutes and then very much wasn't. Fletcher Loyer was the engine — 24 points on efficient shooting, the kind of scoring performance that reminds you he's been doing this at this level for long enough now that nothing in March seems to rattle him. Purdue outscored the Hurricanes by 12 in the second half, pulling away with the methodical patience that has become this program's calling card.
What makes this year's run feel different from the previous two is depth. The 2024 team was Zach Edey and a collection of supporting players who rose to the occasion. Last year's team was transitional — talented enough to make the Sweet 16 but lacking the overwhelming interior presence that had defined the program. This year's Boilermakers feel more balanced, less reliant on any single player, and more comfortable winning in different ways.
“What makes this year's run feel different from the previous two is depth.”
Loyer can shoot. The frontcourt rotations are deep enough that foul trouble doesn't derail the game plan. And Painter's system — deliberate, half-court oriented, relentlessly focused on shot quality — is the kind of approach that tends to hold up in March when the pressure tightens and teams revert to what they actually trust.
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Key Takeaways
→Purdue: Yes, Purdue beat No.
→NCAA: Yes, Purdue beat No.
→March Madness: Yes, Purdue beat No.
→Boilermakers: Yes, Purdue beat No.
The Sweet 16 matchup is intriguing: No. 11 Texas, which upset its way into the second weekend and has the kind of athletic, versatile roster that can make life uncomfortable for methodical teams. Purdue will be favored. But March doesn't care about seedings.
Thursday. One game from the Elite Eight. Three straight years of getting this far. The question for Purdue, as always, is whether this is the year they finally break through to the Final Four.
