Trey Kaufman-Renn’s buzzer-beating tip-in propels Purdue past Texas and into Elite Eight

· New York Post

Who doesn’t believe in second chances?

Senior forward Trey Kaufman-Renn closed it out for Purdue on a tip-in shot with just 0.7 seconds left, following a missed layup from guard Braden Smith, to beat No. 11 Texas 79-77 in a West Region Sweet 16 matchup in San Jose, Calif., on Thursday night.

Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) scores on a buzzer-beating tip-in, leading Purdue to a 79-77 win over Texas in their Sweet 16 matchup on March 26, 2026. Getty Images

Kaufman-Renn led the way for the Boilermakers during the entirety of the Sweet 16 matchup, scoring 20 points with eight rebounds while shooting 8-of-10 from the field.

Tramon Mark’s 29 points for Texas led all scorers for the night, with the senior guard shooting 5-of-7 from beyond the arc.

Purdue guard C.J. Cox scored 10 points through 31 minutes of play, after it was speculated that he could have missed Thursday’s game after hyperextending his knee during the Boilermakers’ second-round matchup against Miami on Sunday.

“It feels better, just taking it one day at a time. We’ll see how it goes around shootaround,” Cox said in a video posted by ISC Purdue on Wednesday. “I have been doing a lot of rehab stuff, form shooting. I haven’t fully practiced yet.”

Trey Kaufman-Renn (4) pumps his fist after scoring on a buzzer-beating tip-in in Purdue’s win over Texas in their Sweet 16 showdown. Kyle Terada-Imagn Images

Purdue will now face the winner of Thursday’s nightcap between Arizona and Arkansas in the Elite Eight.