Purdue Fans Wanted Answers About This Year’s Team — and One Player Gave Them All They Needed With His Performance Against Kentucky

Heading into the 2025–26 season, the Purdue Boilermakers carried serious expectations — ranked No. 1 in the preseason Associated Press Top 25 for the first time in school history. At the centre of that hype is Braden Smith, the senior guard who has already collected a long list of accolades: Big Ten Player of the Year, his school’s assist-leader, a consensus All-American, and projected to make history this season.

So when Purdue travelled to face the Kentucky Wildcats in an exhibition matchup on October 24 2025 at Rupp Arena, fans and analysts alike were watching Smith closely. Could he and his team back up the billing? The game itself ended in a 78-65 loss for Purdue.

But for Smith personally? He made a statement.

The Performance

In that exhibition, Smith posted 11 points, five assists, four rebounds and three steals.  His stat line may not leap off the page as a superstar explosion, but when you factor in context — on the road against a national-standout opponent, in the spotlight of a high-expectation season — his contributions stood out in subtle but compelling ways.

Here’s what impressed:

• Balanced production: He filled the box in multiple categories — scoring, assisting, rebounding, stealing the ball — showing he’s still the multi-faceted guard the Boilermakers have relied upon.

• Poise under pressure: In an environment where Purdue struggled (cold shooting, being outrebounded, losing control of momentum) Smith remained a stabilizing presence. Purdue’s starters shot only 14-of-42 (.333) and the team got hammered on the boards (42-30 disadvantage).

• Prompting momentum: Early in the second half, Smith’s 3-point play cut the deficit to 44-41 — briefly giving Purdue hope and showing his knack for stepping up in key moments.

Why This Matters

Many Purdue fans and watchers were asking: “Can this year’s team deliver when it counts? Will Braden Smith lead them where they expect to go?” His performance in Lexington offered several answers.

• Leadership reaffirmed: As the elder statesman of the squad, Smith showed he can lead even when the team isn’t clicking. That composure matters in big games. When other parts of the team faltered (e.g., poor three-point shooting, rebounding woes), Smith was still present and productive.

• Consistency rather than flash: Instead of a huge scoring outburst, Smith delivered a steady, all-around line. That bodes well for how he’ll need to perform throughout the season — not just in bursts, but persistently.

• Setting expectations for others: By performing well, Smith also sets the tone for his teammates — showing that balance, poise, and contributions in multiple areas are required. The game exposed weaknesses (shooting slump, rebounding deficit), and now the team has an example of the kind of performance they’ll need from their leader.

The Bigger Picture

Exhibition games don’t count in the standings, but they do offer valuable insight. For Purdue, this game revealed that despite the loss, the framework is there. Smith didn’t have to carry the team single-handedly; instead, he executed his role, contributed across the board, and showed that even amid adversity, he remains a reliable anchor.

That’s crucial because the season ahead will demand just that. With elite expectations — Smith being a preseason All-American and a leading candidate for National Player of the Year — every game will be a referendum on whether Purdue’s star guard and his supporting cast can meet the hype.

Final Thought

While the 78-65 result in Lexington won’t show up in the loss column as a regular-season contest, the narrative takeaway is favourable for Braden Smith. He answered the question of “can he lead this team?” with a performance that didn’t dazzle by scoring alone, but by steady excellence in multiple areas. For Purdue fans asking “What does this version of the team look like?”, Smith gave them a clear part of the answer.

If Purdue is to fulfill its lofty goals this season, they’ll need much more from the floor — notably better shooting, stronger rebounding, and sharper execution in key stretches. But with Smith continuing to perform like this, they have the foundation that bodes well for the challenges ahead.

Would you like me to pull deeper analytics (usage rate, assist/turnover ratio, advanced metrics) on Smith’s performance to further evaluate what this means for his season and Purdue’s outlook?