In a high-stakes, back-and-forth battle at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in downtown Indianapolis, the No. 6 seed Purdue Boilermakers outlasted the No. 14 seed USC Trojans, 76-71 in the second round of the 2025 TIAA Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament on March 13.
With the win, Purdue advances to face No. 3 seed Michigan in the quarterfinals on March 14, while USC’s season ends after a valiant effort.
The game was a rollercoaster from start to finish, featuring nine lead changes and 13 ties. Both teams fought tooth and nail for every possession.
Purdue’s Trey Kaufman-Renn was the star of the evening, pouring in a game-high 30 points and grabbing seven rebounds in just 29 minutes.
His performance tied for the third-most points scored by a Boilermaker in a Big Ten Tournament game.
“It was a tough, physical game,” Purdue head coach Matt Painter said following the contest. “USC was very resilient. They have good players who can break you down off the dribble and make plays. I thought our guys showed discipline, and we were fortunate to get that rebound at the end.”
USC, coming off a double-overtime victory against Rutgers, showed no signs of fatigue early. The Trojans jumped out to a 10-point lead in the first half, thanks to a balanced scoring attack.
Desmond Claude, who finished with 18 points despite battling foul trouble, was USC’s driving force. Rashaun Agee also made history, surpassing 1,000 career points, becoming the seventh Trojan to reach that milestone.
Despite USC’s early efforts, Purdue responded with its own surge. Fueled by Camden Heide’s clutch shooting and relentless rebounding, Purdue began turning the tide.
More: Purdue vs USC earlier this season
Heide, who finished with nine points and a game-high 11 rebounds, knocked down all three of his three-point attempts, including two crucial shots during a first-half run that helped Purdue erase USC’s lead.
“I’d just say that comes from us doing what we need to do offensively,” Heide said. “We can’t have energy only when things go well. We’ve always got to bring energy, whether the ball is going in or not.”
The Boilermakers’ ability to control the glass proved to be a decisive factor. Purdue outrebounded USC 36-33, with Heide’s efforts on the backboards standing out.
“Cam’s (Heide) ability to rebound really helped us,” Painter said. “We only won the rebound battle by three, but in a possession game, that’s huge.”
USC’s resilience was on full display in the second half, as they repeatedly fought back from deficits.
Claude, limited to just 21 minutes due to foul trouble, made key plays down the stretch. His floater with under a minute to go tied the game at 71, setting up a dramatic finish.
But Purdue’s poise in the closing moments proved to be the difference.
Kaufman-Renn converted two free throws to give Purdue a 73-71 lead with 28 seconds remaining.
Braden Smith sealed the victory with a pair of clutch free throws in the final seconds.
“We didn’t have our best energy at the start, but we found a way to win,” Kaufman-Renn said. “That’s what matters in tournament play.”
For USC, the loss marked the end of a hard-fought season.
Head coach Eric Musselman praised his team’s effort, especially considering the quick turnaround from their double-overtime win the night before.
“I thought our team did everything we could to put ourselves in position to win the game,” Musselman said. “We played well enough to win but credit to Purdue.”
Purdue now turns its attention to Michigan, a team they split the season series with.
The Boilermakers will need another strong performance from Kaufman-Renn and Heide if they hope to advance further in the tournament.
“Michigan is a tough team,” Painter said. “They have a physical front line and skilled players. We’ll have to be ready.”
Purdue takes on Michigan at 9 p.m. at Gainbridge Fieldhouse, airing on the Big Ten Network.
Contact Multi-Media & Senior Sports Reporter Noral Parham at 317-762-7846. Follow him on X @3Noral. For more sports, click here.
Noral Parham is the multi-media & senior sports reporter for the Indianapolis Recorder, one of the oldest Black publications in the country. Parham has worked with various leagues to provide a diverse perspective in sports, including the Big Ten, Big East, IHSAA, IndyCar, MLB, NHRA, NFL, NBA, WNBA, WWE and the Olympics. Prior to joining the Recorder, Parham served as the community advocate of the MLK Center in Indianapolis and senior copywriter for an e-commerce and marketing firm in Denver.
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