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The No. 11 Texas Longhorns’ Cinderella story in the NCAA Tournament came to a heartbreaking end Thursday night, when Trey Kaufman-Renn’s tip with 0.7 seconds left on the clock gave No. 2 Purdue a 79-77 lead to advance to the Elite Eight.
It was a thriller until the end in this Sweet 16 matchup between a team that needed to play in the First Four to start the tournament and one of the top seeds in March Madness.
The Longhorns’ Dailyn Swain made a key layup and one with 11 seconds left that gave him a chance to tie the game at 77 apiece if he made his free throw. He did it with the pressure, but the Boilermakers had 11 seconds to get on the court and potentially win the game.
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Trey Kaufman-Renn of the Purdue Boilermakers dribbles the ball against the Texas Longhorns during the first half of the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026, in San Jose, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
It was Braden Smith finding his way to the line and making his own layup. However, the ball did not have the correct English when it came off the glass, as it began to leave the hoop.
But Kaufman-Renn, who got under the basket, tipped in the winning basket, giving herself 20 total points to help Purdue move forward and keep its tournament dreams alive.
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There was some discussion on social media, however, as a shot from above Kaufman-Renn’s point showed a possible foul, as he hooked the arm of the Longhorns player who was fighting for the rebound.
Either way, no whistle was blown and the Boilermakers were celebrating, while the Longhorns couldn’t believe their season had ended like that.
Trey Kaufman-Renn of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the winning shot against the Texas Longhorns during the second half during the second half of the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026, in San Jose, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
It was a back-and-forth game throughout the 40 minutes on the court, as both teams exchanged the lead, especially in the second half. The largest lead any team had was Purdue with just seven points, while Texas’ lead never exceeded four.
But it’s because both teams were shooting well, with Texas making 52% of its shots (29 of 56), while Purdue made 48% (30 of 62).
Looking closer at the scoring, every Boilermaker starter had at least 10 points, while Fletcher Loyer (18) and Braden Smith (16) did crucial work in the backcourt to help the winning cause.
Meanwhile, Texas’ Tramon Mark left it all on the court, going 11 of 15 for 29 points, including 5 of 7 from beyond the arc. Swain also missed a double-double with nine rebounds and five assists.
Trey Kaufman-Renn of the Purdue Boilermakers celebrates with his teammates after hitting the winning shot against the Texas Longhorns during the second half of the Sweet Sixteen of the 2026 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament at SAP Center on March 26, 2026, in San Jose, California. (Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Purdue now awaits the winner of Arkansas and Arizona to see who they must play to earn a spot in this year’s Final Four, which will be played at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
