Which eight teams will join the first half of the Sweet 16 field in advancing to the 2026 men's NCAA tournament regionals?
ESPN reporters across the country are recapping how each second-round game is decided Sunday.
How Purdue won: Leave it to the seniors to bring it home for Purdue. Fletcher Loyer had a game-high 24 points and Trey Kaufman-Renn added 19 to send the 2-seed Boilermakers back to the Sweet 16 for the third straight season.
After alternating the guards early in the first half, Matt Painter kept Loyer and point guard Braden Smith on the floor for the entire second half -- and the senior tandem not only stabilized Purdue but helped neutralize a Miami squad that looked potent in the first half. In an era when rosters can be flipped on a yearly basis, Purdue is making a strong case for homegrown continuity. It seemed to be the difference Sunday in St. Louis.
Still, give Miami and Jai Lucas a ton of credit. The Hurricanes had a 19-win differential in Lucas' first season at the helm. -- Ben Baby
