WEST LAFAYETTE — Purdue basketball guard Brayden Smith put up a historic stat line — and possibly avoided injury in the process.
Smith was unable to attend the press conference after the Boiler Works’ 85-57 victory over Minnesota because he was having his left hand checked by medical staff. Purdue head coach Matt Painter said after the game that Smith “sprained his hand,” but he didn’t sound overly concerned in the long run.
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Asked if he thought the issue was temporary, Painter said: “Well, he continues to play.”
He did. The reigning Big Ten Player of the Year is putting up a stat line unlike any in his career.
Smith appeared to hurt his hand on his second defensive possession of the game. Oscar Clough bumped Minnesota’s Jalen Crocker Johnson with his shoulder and was called for his first foul of the game. Smith was then tripped by Crocker-Johnson and used his left hand to support him as he fell to the ground.
In the minutes after that game, Smith appeared to be waving that hand. This could lead to a particularly wild out-of-bounds pass from Daniel Jacobson down low.
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However, this had no effect on Smith’s right-handedness. He scored 15 points, 12 assists, 6 rebounds, 5 steals and 2 blocks.
Insider: Brayden Smith’s two-way effort leads Purdue to win over Minnesota
He became the first Division I player in at least 20 years to tally that number with 12 assists, according to Purdue. Marquette’s Jerrell McNeil scored 26 points, 11 assists, 6 rebounds, 5 steals and 3 blocks against Georgetown University in 2009.
“He was playing basketball the whole night,” Painter said.
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This article originally appeared in the Indianapolis Star: Brayden Smith injured: Purdue basketball guard suffers hand injury, seeks medical attention
