1/5/2026 Boilermaker Water Cooler Chat: History Edition
Rants, ravings, and somewhat sensical opinions following the wild, wacky, and wide-wide world of Purdue sports.
I have history with the state of Wisconsin. I have several friends and family members who live in the state. When I was young, I went to the Dells, as is tradition in the Midwest. I have covered Purdue in Milwaukee in the Ivey years NCAA tournament. I have visited a handful of cities and towns throughout the state. I really have grown to enjoy the state, Packers fans aside.
… And what’s not to like at face value? The land of Chris Farley, fried cheese, bratwurst and cold beer. That is almost everything that I love! One of my best friends described Wisconsin as, a place where “it is easy to be the best version of yourself.” Trust me, by looking around the people whom I interacted with this weekend, I can totally see it.
From a sports standpoint, my history with the state of Wisconsin runs deep as well. I am a Bears fan, and I have had my share of heartbreak from Brett Favre and Aaron Rogers. The Milwaukee Brewers will inevitably go on a 20+ game win streak to overtake my Cubs late every season. I was there for Gameday and the Orton fumble. I was there for the Baby Boilers’ court storm. I have seen Rondale Moore go into multiple overtimes only to fall in the freezing rain. Wisconsin and I have a history.
The one thing that I haven’t done, at least until this weekend, was cover a game at Wisconsin, or for that matter, visit Madison. Oh, I will be back. Madison is a really beautiful town. I had a Spotted Cow (or three). I ate some cheese curds. I witnessed history.
The Games:
Kent State 60, #5 Purdue 101
Jack Benter was red hot, going 6/6 from 3, on a way to scoring a game high 20 points. Fletcher Loyer had 19 points, hitting 3 from deep in the process. Trey Kaufman-Renn went for a double-double with 15 points and 12 rebounds, Braden Smith inched closer to the Big Ten record by tallying 8 assists.
What else is there to say other than Kent State is not a bad program. This is a win that will age like fine wine, as Kent State is a very talented mid-major and will have every bit of a shot to win the MAC. Winning by 40 is always fun!
Purdue – Kent St. Photo Gallery by Mark Elsner: https://iscpurdue.com/purdue-mens-basketball-vs-kent-st-12-29-25/
#5 Purdue 89, Wisconsin 73
A game that was not nearly as close as the final score indicated, Purdue struggled early, but took control after about 10 minutes of gameplay. Boilers dominated the next 20 minutes of gametime, leading to 10 minutes of garbage time and a mini Badger comeback.
We can do the Boilerplate “who scored what” stat line thing that I normally do in these segments. We don’t need to bury the lead any further. Braden Smith dumped 12 assists against the Badgers, his 10th of which made him the all time assist leader in Big Ten history. At 893 assists for his career to date, he has passed Big Ten Legend Cassius Winston as the greatest passer in the storied legacy of Big Ten Basketball.
All 5 starting players for Purdue were in double figures, with Loyer leading the way with 20.
Break It Down:
While I may have discovered that Wisconsin is a very welcoming community, it was clear that the Boilermakers made themselves comfortable in Madison. The Kohl Center is a very nice, formidable arena. While it wasn’t sold out, Purdue fans were out in force. I would say, 15-20% of the crowd were Boilermaker fans.
The reason that I bring that up is that chants of “Boiler Up!” filled the air. Cheers for Purdue were sharp throughout the game. Most impressively, however, as the Wisconsin fans were filing out early, the booming chants of “Braden Smith” echoed throughout the building as he made history in Madison.
There is a reason that this type of passion follows Purdue around the country. Since playing one bad half basketball against Iowa State, this Purdue team has been putting their collective belts to their opponents’ collective asses. To quote good Ol’ J.R. Purdue has been “stomping mudholes, and walking them dry” and Purdue fans are here for it. Boilermakers are a passionate group, and they show out for a good product.
This team looks every bit the final four contender that they were billed as to start the season. They are doing it quietly. They are not getting the hype, the buzz, the style points. They are simply kicking ass both offensively and defensively. Boilers need to keep this intensity as they continue into Big Ten play.
What Went Well:
- 10: Straight 3s (over the past 3 games) made for Jack Benter. That, is a Purdue record (which is still active). We all knew that Benter could fill it up from deep, and he is getting his opportunity. What is great about this streak is that he is not forcing shots up. Against Wisconsin, Benter attempted 0 three point shots, meaning that he is picking his spots.
- Double-Double-Double: TKR. Oscar Cluff. Braden Smith. All three of them pulled a double-double this week.
- 19.5: Points per game this week for Fletcher Loyer, who currently leads the team in scoring (14.4 ppg).
- Play Hard: Was a (albeit simplistic) legendary Gene Keady mantra. He wasn’t the first coach to say that, he won’t be the last. He did personify it, and it is as much of the Purdue zeitgeist as the attic-tuba guy, walking under the bell tower, and Bruno Dough. Several times during the Wisconsin game, you could see the physicality getting to Purdue, but TKR set his jaw and set a tone. He attacked loose balls, creating hustle plays. Braden Smith dove for loose balls and jumped passing lanes. Fletcher Loyer walled up on defense. Oscar Cluff crashed the boards. Once this flip was switched, Purdue took the aggression to Wisconsin, and cruised to victory.
Opportunities for Improvement:
- N/A: More data needed
Big Man on Campus:
Who else could it be? The all time assist leader in Big Ten History, Braden Smith. Congratulations, Braden, for etching your name into the record books!
A Look Ahead:
(As of this writing) #5 Purdue returns home from the land of Farley, cheese, beer, and brats and welcome a visiting Washington squad on Wednesday 1/7 for an 8:30 tip (BTN). Washington was expected to be a good team this season, however, they haven’t lived up to expectations thus far. Following that, the Boilermakers will host Penn State on Saturday 1/10 for a 2:00 tip (BTN). Purdue should be a prohibitive favorite in both of these contests.
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