WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue basketball guard Braden Smith produced an historic stat line — and possibly avoided injury in the process.
Smith could not come to the news conference following the Boilermakers’ 85-57 victory over Minnesota because he was having his left hand checked by medical personnel. Purdue coach Matt Painter said after the game Smith “sprained his hand,” though he did not sound overly concerned for the long run.
Asked if he believed the issue to be a temporary one, Painter said, “Well, he kept playing.”
Indeed he did. The reigning Big Ten Player of the Year from posting an extended double-double stat line unlike any previously in his career.
Smith appeared to hurt the hand on the game’s second defensive possession. Oscar Cluff put a shoulder into Minnesota’s Jaylen Crocker-Johnson and was called for the game’s first foul. Smith then tripped over Crocker-Johnson and used his left hand to brace his fall to the floor.
For several minutes after that play, Smith appeared to be flexing that hand. It might have contributed to an especially wild out of bounds pass on a post look for Daniel Jacobsen.
Yet it had no effect on Smith’s dominant right hand. He collected 15 points, 12 assists, six rebounds, five steals and two blocks.
Per Purdue, he became the first Division I player in at least 20 years to compile that stat line with 12 assists. Marquette’s Jerel McNeal collected 26 points, 11 assists, six rebounds, five steals and three blocks in a 2009 game against Georgetown.
“He was just around the basketball the whole night,” Painter said.
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This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: Purdue basketball star Braden Smith suffers injury in win. What we know
Reporting by Nathan Baird, Indianapolis Star / Indianapolis Star
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
