Trey Kaufman-Renn Game-Winner Helps Purdue Survive Upset Bid vs. Texas, Thrill Fans in Sweet 16 Win

No. 2 seed Purdue narrowly survived a potential upset in the Sweet 16 of the 2026 NCAA tournament on Thursday, taking down No. 11 Texas by the final score of 79-77 at SAP Center.

With the score tied 77-77 late in the second half, Boilermakers forward Trey Kaufman-Renn tipped in an offensive rebound with roughly one second remaining to give his team the win.

Kaufman-Renn finished with 20 points and eight rebounds while shooting 8-of-10 from the field.

Fans and pundits were amazed by his last-second shot.

Thursday's matchup was a hard-fought contest, as neither team led by more than seven points throughout the entire game.

Purdue opened the first half with a 6-0 edge, but Texas quickly responded with a 20-10 run.

The Boilermakers were able to jump back in front before halftime, taking a 39-35 lead into the second half.

Both teams weren't able to pull away over the final 20 minutes of game time, as the score was tied 70-70 with just over four minutes remaining in the contest.

Purdue eventually took a three-point lead with a layup from senior forward Oscar Cluff and a free throw from guard Braden Smith, but Texas pulled to within one following a putback from senior Chendall Weaver.

Smith then connected on another layup to give the Boilermakers a 75-72 edge with roughly 40 seconds left in the second half.

After both teams traded free throws, Texas tied the contest as junior forward Dailyn Swain was fouled while hitting a layup.

The excitement was short-lived, as Kaufman-Renn's tip sealed the win for Purdue on its ensuing possession.

The Boilermakers' victory was particularly impressive considering they shot just 20.0 percent from behind the arc. Senior guard Fletcher Loyer was responsible for all four of Purdue's three-pointers as a team.

Loyer scored 18 points and dished out three assists, while Smith finished with 16 points and two steals.

Texas guard Tramon Mark racked up 29 points on 11-of-15 shooting, but it wasn't enough to emerge victorious.

Purdue will now face the winner of Thursday's clash between Arizona and Arkansas in the Elite Eight.