Braden Smith Reflects on Final Games at Purdue and Saying Goodbye to Mackey Arena
Braden Smith said he hasn’t fully processed that his Purdue career is ending as the Boilermakers enter the final stretch of the regular season, beginning Thursday night against No. 13 Michigan State — one of just two remaining home games for Smith, Trey Kaufman-Renn and Fletcher Loyer.
Braden Smith on closing out career at Mackey Arena
On his Running Point with Braden Smith podcast, the senior guard said the reality of leaving Purdue will likely hit him during Thursday’s game and again during the last home contest at Mackey Arena. “I don't think it's really kicked in yet. Probably Thursday during the game it'll kind of set in, and then obviously the last home game will obviously have an impact, ” Smith said. He added that he remembers arriving as a freshman "just trying to make a spot and help a team win. " The regular season now has four games left, and two of those are home dates for the veteran trio that has anchored Purdue’s backcourt.
Season résumé and individual honors
Smith and his teammates have compiled a record of notable accomplishments during his four years in West Lafayette: two Big Ten regular season titles, a Big Ten Tournament championship and a trip to the National Championship Game. The current group is approaching its fourth NCAA Tournament appearance. Individually, Smith is the reigning Big Ten Player of the Year and an All-American point guard, won last year's Bob Cousy Award, and holds the all-time assist record at Purdue and in the Big Ten, with the context noting there is still a chance he can break the NCAA's all-time assist record as well.
What comes next for the senior trio and Purdue
The season has not been without setbacks. After a 91-80 loss to Michigan last week, head coach Matt Painter emphasized that the team’s primary test remains the NCAA Tournament. “Your final test is in the NCAA Tournament. That's the way I look at it, ” Painter said, noting that regular-season wins don’t guarantee postseason success. Smith, Kaufman-Renn and Loyer will not end their college careers with a Big Ten championship this season, a goal the team had entering the 2025-26 campaign, but they remain hopeful: the trio is aiming to extend their time together by playing at least six more games in a Purdue uniform once the NCAA Tournament begins.
Thursday night’s game against No. 13 Michigan State starts Purdue’s four-game regular-season finish. The Boilermakers will play two more home games, including the final contest at Mackey Arena, before shifting focus to the NCAA Tournament and the chance to continue past the regular season.
