Purdue’s Braden Smith drops bold declaration after 20th career double-double

Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith added another milestone to his storied college basketball career on Wednesday night, recording his 20th career double-double as No. 6 Purdue dismantled Minnesota Golden Gophers 85-57. Smith posted 15 points, 12 assists, and six rebounds in the win.

The performance came just days after Purdue suffered a stunning 23-point loss to Iowa State, putting added emphasis on how the Boilermakers would respond. Against Minnesota (5-5), they answered resoundingly by dominating the game and regaining their identity.

Following the win, Smith spoke with Andy Katz on the Big Ten Network about the buzz surrounding his offense and playmaking, along with his noticeably improved defense. Asked what had sparked his shift on that end, Smith explained that he expected more from himself.

“I just got to be that spark and be better. And I don’t think I’ve been as good as I could be, and I can be like that every night,” Smith said. “I got to make a change and continue to do that and try to help us out and get a win.”

Purdue’s defensive intensity only increased after halftime. The Boilermakers opened the second half with a devastating 31-4 run, suffocating Minnesota and holding the Gophers to just two baskets over nearly 11 minutes. When asked what changed in the locker room, Smith pointed again to defensive consistency.

“I think just being more consistent defensively, once we’re out we when we were able to get out get in transition, I think we’re able to get open looks get shots that we wanted,” Smith said.

“I don't think I've been as good as I could be, and I can be like that every night.”@TheAndyKatz caught up with Braden Smith after his 20th career double-double in @BoilerBall’s 85-57 win over Minnesota pic.twitter.com/iJ40Q1bs0R

— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) December 11, 2025

The night also carried a historic milestone for Smith, who reached 1,500 career points, making him the first player in Big Ten history to record at least 1,500 points, 800 assists, and 500 rebounds.

With Purdue improving to 9-1 and Smith continuing to rewrite the conference record books, the senior appears poised to push the Boilermakers toward another deep postseason run.

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