Purdue advanced to the Sweet 16 with a dominant 79-69 victory over Miami. Senior guard Fletcher Loyer led all scorers with 24 points while Trey Kaufman-Renn added 19, helping the second-seeded Boilermakers secure their third consecutive trip to the regionals.

Coach Matt Painter kept Loyer and point guard Braden Smith on the floor for the entire second half after alternating guards early. The senior tandem stabilized Purdue and neutralized a Miami squad that looked potent in the opening half. In an era of yearly roster turnover, Purdue's homegrown continuity proved decisive in St. Louis.

Miami showed significant improvement under Jai Lucas, who led the Hurricanes to a 19-win differential in his first season. The loss ends Purdue's championship hopes for this season, but they'll join the first half of the Sweet 16 field as one of the tournament's most experienced remaining teams.