March Madness 2025: No. 5 Purdue makes easy work of No. 12 McNeese in the first half to advance to Sweet 16
Purdue is heading to the Sweet 16 again.
The No. 4 Boilermakers jumped out to a big lead over No. 12 McNeese in the first half on the way to a 76-62 win. It wasn't nearly as pretty in the second half, but Purdue built itself so much of a cushion in the first 20 minutes that its struggles in the final 20 minutes didn't matter.
Purdue led 38-20 at the break as McNeese struggled on both ends of the floor. The Cowboys shot just 31% from the field, got out-rebounded by 10 and Purdue players consistently got great looks behind the arc and by the basket. For a brief moment, it looked like the Cowboys were going to score fewer than 20 points in the half a game after Clemson had just 13 against McNeese on Thursday.
The second half wasn't much better, even if Purdue did all it could to give McNeese a chance to get back into the game. The Boilermakers went over six minutes without a field goal until a layup by Trey Kaufman-Renn with 9:49 to go. But McNeese had cut just three points from Purdue's lead during that span thanks to a crucial set of technical fouls.
With the Cowboys trailing 48-28, Christian Shumate got called for a foul in the paint on Kaufman-Renn. That led to McNeese coach Will Wade getting a technical ahead of the TV timeout and Shumate got a technical himself as he walked to the bench.
Purdue made five of the ensuing six free throws to push the lead to 25 and effectively end the game. Kaufman-Renn finished with a game-high 22 points and 15 rebounds.
McNeese's loss means No. 11 Drake is the only double-digit seed remaining in the men's NCAA tournament. The Bulldogs play No. 3 Texas Tech later Saturday for the chance to go to the Sweet 16. After all 16 top-four seeds won their first-round games for the first time since 2017, there's a very strong chance there will be no double-digit seeds advancing past the first weekend of the 2025 tournament.
The game is the last one for Wade as McNeese's coach. The ex-LSU coach is set to be announced as the new NC State coach in the coming days after the school fired Kevin Keatts at the end of the season. The Wolfpack made a coaching change just a year after a surprise run to the Final Four.
Wade was transparent about his conversations with NC State before the NCAA tournament and they clearly were no distraction against Clemson. But the Cowboys simply didn't have the defensive intensity on Saturday as they did in the first round.
Purdue, meanwhile, is back in the Sweet 16 for the second straight season after becoming just the second No. 1 seed to lose to a No. 16 seed in 2023. The Boilermakers bounced back to make it to the national title game in 2024, and are now two wins away from another Final Four appearance.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


USA Today
15 minutes ago
- USA Today
Former Cowboys HC shows up at Commanders' first day of minicamp
Former Cowboys HC shows up at Commanders' first day of minicamp Mini-camp, Day 1. That's Jason Garrett in blue. — Ben Standig (@BenStandig) June 10, 2025 The Cowboys weren't the only NFC East team to kick off their minicamp on Tuesday. The division rival Commanders also opened up the mandatory portion of their offseason program, and they hosted a very familiar face as one of their Day 1 guests. Former Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett was in attendance in Ashburn, Va., at the invitation of current Washington head coach Dan Quinn. It's the second straight year that Quinn has welcomed Garrett to town during minicamp, according to Jori Epstein of Yahoo Sports. Quinn "gets the benefit of veteran coaching perspective to check his blind spots," she noted on X, "Garrett gets perspective for his NBC broadcasts. Win-win." Garrett is now over five years removed from his tenure as Cowboys coach, having posted a 87-70 mark in the regular season and playoffs combined in nine-plus seasons in Dallas. He had also been the team's offensive coordinator for four years and played quarterback in the silver and blue for eight more. Yes, his visit with Quinn on Tuesday was much more in keeping with his current job as an NBC analyst, but it still must have been strange for Commanders players to look over during their practice and see the longtime enemy standing there wearing Cowboys colors. Most Washington players, anyway. A few will remember him from their own time in Dallas; Garrett coached Commanders wide receivers Noah Brown and Michael Gallup for multiple seasons, as well as defensive end Dorance Armstrong. And Garrett was a Cowboys teammate of Washington's current linebackers coach, Ken Norton, Jr., for the 1993 season that ended with both men earning a Super Bowl ring. Follow Cowboys Wire on Facebook to join in on the conversation with fellow fans!


American Press
27 minutes ago
- American Press
Cowboys learn tourney schedule
Last November, the Cowboys used a trip to the U.S. Virgin Islands to help build the camaraderie that led to a historic season. McNeese State hopes to do that again this year. The Cowboys will be the headline act at the four-team field for the 2025 Cayman Islands Classic, which runs November 23-25. 'We're thrilled to participate in such a prestigious event, set in one of the most beautiful locations in the world,' said McNeese head coach Bill Armstrong. 'Competing against three programs with strong traditions of postseason success will be a significant early test for our team. Each matchup will present unique challenges and provide a valuable gauge of our current standing. 'It's a great opportunity to learn, grow, and identify the areas we need to improve as we prepare for conference play.' McNeese is coming off a 28-7 campaign that saw the Cowboys win their second straight Southland Conference championship, marking the first time in program history. The Cowboys also won their first NCAA Tournament game ever, upsetting Clemson 69-67 in the opening round of the Midwest Regional in Providence, Rhode Island. McNeese would lose its second-round match against Big Ten powerhouse Purdue. Armstrong takes over the Cowboys following Will Wade's departure for North Carolina State last March. He was able to retain four key members from last year's team, including starters Javohn Garcia and sharpshooter DJ Richards. Garcia was the Southland Conference's Player of the Year last season. With eight or nine new players on the roster, Armstrong will use this trip to continue building the Cowboys' team unity. 'It is important that we use trips like this to come together as a team,' Armstrong said. 'It will be great for an educational experience and a chance for us to bond as a group. 'We will also get a chance to play some good teams at a time when we are still trying to figure things out. I would rather play a tournament setting because there is a prize, but getting these three games against like competition will be big for us.' McNeese will be joined by George Washington, Murray State and Middle Tennessee State in the round-robin event. 'We're excited to welcome these outstanding programs to this year's Cayman Islands Classic,' said Joe Wright, owner and chief executive officer of Caymax Sports Ltd. 'They're in for a first-class experience — both on the court and in the beautiful Cayman Islands. It's going to be a special week of competition, camaraderie, and unforgettable memories for teams and fans alike.' The Cowboys will open the tourney, which is in its seventh year, against George Washington on Sunday, Nov. 23, at 4 p.m., Lake Charles time. Middle Tennessee State and Murray State will play the night's second game. The following night, the Cowboys will play Murray State in the late game, roughly 6:30 p.m., with Middle Tennessee and GW in the opener. McNeese will open the final night with a 4 p.m. game against Middle Tennessee in John Gray Gymnasium in George Town, Grand Cayman. Middle Tennessee State went 22–12 in 2024-25, advancing to the National Invitation Tournament under head coach Nick McDevitt. Chris Caputo returns for his third year as head coach at George Washington, which plays in the Atlantic 10 Conference. Ryan Miller enters his first year as head coach at the Missouri Valley Conference's Murray State, looking to improve on the team's 16–17 record from last year. The Cowboys are still looking to fill the final two games of their schedule in hopes of finding a pair of Power 4 opponents. Tournament Schedule (all times central) Sunday, Nov. 23 McNeese vs. George Washington, 4 p.m. Middle Tennessee vs. Murray State, 6:30 p.m. Monday, Nov. 24 Middle Tennessee vs. George Washington, 4 p.m. McNeese vs. Murray State, 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 25 Murray State vs. George Washington, 4 p.m. McNeese vs. Middle Tennessee, 6:30 p.m.


USA Today
40 minutes ago
- USA Today
Nets projected to take Michigan C Danny Wolf No. 27 in 2025 NBA Draft
Nets projected to take Michigan C Danny Wolf No. 27 in 2025 NBA Draft A collection of nifty threes from the 6'10.5" barefoot, 251.8-pound Danny Wolf. Few players his size have these types of shots in their arsenal. — Maxwell Baumbach (@BaumBoards) May 30, 2025 The Brooklyn Nets have some important decisions to make ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft that begins on June 25 in which the team will have five picks to use. Brooklyn is focused on more than just the Draft, but when it comes to their future, the Nets will have to do their homework given that the players they take this year could be crucial members of the roster. In his latest mock draft for Bleacher Report, Jonathan Wasserman projected the Nets to take Michigan center Danny Wolf with the 27th overall pick in the Draft, the last of four first-round picks Brooklyn has at its disposal. Wolf, standing at 6-foot-11 and 252 pounds, is one of the more interesting players in this class given his ability to handle the ball and shoot at his size. "Danny Wolf made a strong, final pitch to scouts against Auburn, finishing with 20 points and a number of eye-opening highlights that showcased his creation and shotmaking," Wasserman wrote on Wolf. "Though his three-point numbers might not indicate shooting improvement, he added a pull-up and step-back to his repertoire this year." Wolf, 21, is coming off a junior season with the Wolverines in which he averaged 13.2 points, 9.7 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.4 blocks per game while shooting 49.7% from the field and 33.6% from three-point land. Wolf put forth his production for a Michigan team that finished the 2024-25 regular season with a 27-10 record, allowing them to make the NCAA Tournament where they made it all the way to the Sweet 16 before losing to the Auburn Tigers. While it will be interesting to see if Wolf last until the 27th overall pick in a class that seems to taper off around the 12th pick or so, his skill set will be interesting for every team that has a first-round pick outside of the Lottery. "A 7-footer who made 21 dribble jumpers, served as Michigan's lead playmaker and still averaged 9.7 boards and 1.4 blocks is bound to entice a number of teams," Wasserman continued.