EVAN

PURDUE

Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith team up to lead No. 1 Purdue to 82-51 rout of Evansville in opener

AP
Nov 04, 2025

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) Fletcher Loyer opened his final college season by scoring a career high 30 points and preseason All-American Braden Smith added 11 assists as Purdue Boilermakers protected its first preseason No. 1 ranking with a rousing 82-51 season-opening rout over Evansville Aces on Tuesday night.

Loyer was 8 of 11 from the field and made seven 3-pointers. Smith scored just six points but passed former Illinois star Bruce Douglas for third on the Big Ten's career assists list. Smith increased his total to 769, four more than Douglas. Former Michigan State guard Matten Cleaves is second at 816.

Purdue has won 33 consecutive non-conference home games - this one despite playing without preseason all-conference forward Trey Kaufman-Renn, who missed the game with an injured hip.

Joshua Hughes had 15 points and AJ Casey added 14 for Evansville, which faced the Boilermakers for the first time in 20 years. Defending Missouri Valley Conference Defensive Player of the Year Connor Turnbull also sat out for an undisclosed reason.

Without Turnbull, Purdue made this one look easy even though it played raggedly at times - missing shots at the rim, struggling to grab rebounds and just getting into a normal flow.

But the Boilermakers managed to take control with an early 11-0 run and then closed the first half by scoring the final five points to make it 41-22. They started the second half on a 12-0 spurt that made it 53-22 as Hall of Fame coach Gene Keady and former Purdue guard Lance Stephenson watched from the stands.

The Boilermakers were 13 of 29 on 3s.

Evansville: Heads home to take on Calumet College of St. Joseph on Friday.

Purdue: Hosts Oakland on Friday.

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1st Half
EVAN
Aces
22
PUR
Boilermakers
41

Time		Play	Score
20:00		Joshua Hughes vs. Oscar Cluff (Jack Benter gains possession)
19:47		Braden Smith turnover (bad pass) (Alex Hemenway steals)
19:21	+3	Joshua Hughes makes three point jump shot	3-0
18:55		Joshua Hughes shooting foul (Fletcher Loyer draws the foul)
18:55	+1	Fletcher Loyer makes regular free throw 1 of 2	3-1
18:55		Fletcher Loyer misses regular free throw 2 of 2
18:55		AJ Casey defensive rebound
18:41		Keishon Porter misses two point jump shot
18:39		Keishon Porter offensive rebound
18:36	+2	Joshua Hughes makes two point dunk (Keishon Porter assists)	5-1
18:22	+3	Fletcher Loyer makes three point jump shot (Oscar Cluff assists)	5-4
17:40	+2	AJ Casey makes two point layup (Keishon Porter assists)	7-4
17:20	+2	Braden Smith makes two point jump shot (Oscar Cluff assists)	7-6
17:03		Purple Aces turnover (10-second violation)
16:57		Jack Benter misses three point jump shot
16:55		Boilermakers offensive rebound
16:50		Keishon Porter personal foul
16:47		Braden Smith misses three point jump shot
16:45		Oscar Cluff offensive rebound
16:45		Oscar Cluff misses two point layup
16:27		Leif Moeller misses two point layup
16:25		Jack Benter defensive rebound
16:21	+3	Jack Benter makes three point jump shot (Braden Smith assists)	7-9
15:54		Alex Hemenway misses three point jump shot
15:52		Jack Benter defensive rebound
15:43	+2	Oscar Cluff makes two point layup (Braden Smith assists)	7-11
15:22		Jack Benter blocks Alex Hemenway's two point layup
15:20		Oscar Cluff defensive rebound
15:13	+2	Fletcher Loyer makes two point layup (Braden Smith assists)	7-13
15:13		TV timeout
14:55		Leif Moeller misses three point jump shot
14:53		AJ Casey offensive rebound
14:46		Jack Benter shooting foul (Bryce Quinet draws the foul)
14:46		Bryce Quinet misses regular free throw 1 of 2
14:46		Bryce Quinet misses regular free throw 2 of 2
14:28	+2	Jack Benter makes two point layup (Gicarri Harris assists)	7-15
14:13	+2	AJ Casey makes two point jump shot	9-15
14:13		Jack Benter shooting foul (AJ Casey draws the foul)
14:10	+1	AJ Casey makes regular free throw 1 of 1	10-15
13:56		Gicarri Harris misses three point jump shot
13:54		James Dyson-Merwe defensive rebound
13:35		AJ Casey misses two point jump shot
13:33		Gicarri Harris defensive rebound
13:29		Leif Moeller blocks Gicarri Harris's two point layup
13:27		Boilermakers offensive rebound
13:24		Fletcher Loyer misses three point jump shot
13:22		Joshua Hughes defensive rebound
13:07		Keishon Porter misses two point layup
13:06		James Dyson-Merwe offensive rebound
13:06		Keishon Porter misses three point jump shot
13:04		James Dyson-Merwe personal foul
12:37	+2	Omer Mayer makes two point layup	10-17
12:12		Joshua Hughes misses three point jump shot
12:10		Omer Mayer defensive rebound
12:00		Keishon Porter blocks Braden Smith's two point layup
11:58		Leif Moeller defensive rebound
11:47	+2	Joshua Hughes makes two point jump shot	12-17
11:32		Omer Mayer misses three point jump shot
11:30		Daniel Jacobsen offensive rebound
11:25		Daniel Jacobsen misses two point layup
11:23		Joshua Hughes defensive rebound
11:08		Leif Moeller misses three point jump shot
11:06		Daniel Jacobsen defensive rebound
11:00	+3	Liam Murphy makes three point jump shot (Omer Mayer assists)	12-20
10:30	+2	Bryce Quinet makes two point layup	14-20
10:15		Daniel Jacobsen misses three point jump shot
10:13		Gicarri Harris offensive rebound
10:08		Gicarri Harris misses two point layup
10:06		Joshua Hughes defensive rebound
9:55		James Dyson-Merwe turnover (traveling)
9:55		TV timeout
9:32		Gicarri Harris turnover (traveling)
9:10		Trent Hundley misses three point jump shot
9:08		AJ Casey offensive rebound
8:59		Daniel Jacobsen blocks AJ Casey's two point layup
8:57		Daniel Jacobsen defensive rebound
8:47		Daniel Jacobsen misses two point jump shot
8:45		Joshua Hughes defensive rebound
8:36		Bryce Quinet misses two point layup
8:34		Bryce Quinet offensive rebound
8:31		Leif Moeller misses three point jump shot
8:29		Daniel Jacobsen defensive rebound
8:14		Trent Hundley personal foul (Daniel Jacobsen draws the foul)
8:06		Omer Mayer turnover (bad pass) (Bryce Quinet steals)
7:57		Bryce Quinet misses three point jump shot
7:55		Joshua Hughes offensive rebound
7:49	+3	Trent Hundley makes three point jump shot (Leif Moeller assists)	17-20
7:31	+2	Omer Mayer makes two point jump shot (Oscar Cluff assists)	17-22
7:14		Joshua Hughes misses three point jump shot
7:09		Boilermakers defensive rebound
7:06		TV timeout
6:58	+3	Fletcher Loyer makes three point jump shot (Braden Smith assists)	17-25
6:27		AJ Casey misses three point jump shot
6:25		C.J. Cox defensive rebound
6:14		Fletcher Loyer misses three point jump shot
6:12		Oscar Cluff offensive rebound
5:58		Leif Moeller misses two point jump shot
5:53		Purple Aces offensive rebound
5:42		AJ Casey turnover (lost ball) (Oscar Cluff steals)
5:27		Joshua Hughes shooting foul (Oscar Cluff draws the foul)
5:27	+1	Oscar Cluff makes regular free throw 1 of 2	17-26
5:27		Oscar Cluff misses regular free throw 2 of 2
5:27		James Dyson-Merwe defensive rebound
5:10	+2	Bryce Quinet makes two point jump shot (James Dyson-Merwe assists)	19-26
4:42	+2	Braden Smith makes two point jump shot	19-28
4:13		Bryce Quinet misses three point jump shot
4:11		Jack Benter defensive rebound
4:06	+3	Fletcher Loyer makes three point jump shot (Braden Smith assists)	19-31
3:47		James Dyson-Merwe offensive foul
3:47		James Dyson-Merwe turnover (offensive foul)
3:49		TV timeout
3:23		Braden Smith misses two point layup
3:21		Oscar Cluff offensive rebound
3:18		Oscar Cluff misses two point layup
3:16		Oscar Cluff offensive rebound
3:16		Kaia Berridge shooting foul (Oscar Cluff draws the foul)
3:16	+1	Oscar Cluff makes regular free throw 1 of 2	19-32
3:16	+1	Oscar Cluff makes regular free throw 2 of 2	19-33
3:00		Alex Hemenway misses two point layup
2:58		Boilermakers defensive rebound
2:46		Braden Smith misses two point jump shot
2:44		Jack Benter offensive rebound
2:41	+3	Fletcher Loyer makes three point jump shot (Jack Benter assists)	19-36
2:25		Joshua Hughes misses three point jump shot
2:23		Gicarri Harris defensive rebound
2:13		Daniel Jacobsen misses two point jump shot
2:11		Keishon Porter defensive rebound
1:55		Leif Moeller turnover (traveling)
1:36		Fletcher Loyer turnover (lost ball)
1:19		Joshua Hughes turnover (lost ball) (Braden Smith steals)
1:14		Gicarri Harris misses two point layup
1:12		Leif Moeller defensive rebound
1:06	+3	Alex Hemenway makes three point jump shot (Leif Moeller assists)	22-36
0:51	+2	Daniel Jacobsen makes two point dunk (Braden Smith assists)	22-38
0:36		Liam Murphy personal foul (AJ Casey draws the foul)
0:31		Alex Hemenway misses three point jump shot
0:29		Braden Smith defensive rebound
0:25	+3	Fletcher Loyer makes three point jump shot (Braden Smith assists)	22-41
0:03		Leif Moeller misses two point jump shot
0:01		Daniel Jacobsen defensive rebound
0:00		End of period

2nd Half
EVAN
Aces
29
PUR
Boilermakers
41

Time		Play	Score
19:51		Braden Smith misses three point jump shot
19:49		Joshua Hughes defensive rebound
19:27		Keishon Porter misses two point jump shot
19:25		Jack Benter defensive rebound
19:11		Braden Smith misses two point jump shot
19:09		AJ Casey defensive rebound
18:55		Keishon Porter misses two point jump shot
18:53		Joshua Hughes offensive rebound
18:45		Leif Moeller misses three point jump shot
18:43		Boilermakers defensive rebound
18:22	+2	Oscar Cluff makes two point hook shot (Braden Smith assists)	22-43
18:08		Alex Hemenway misses three point jump shot
18:06		C.J. Cox defensive rebound
17:56	+3	Jack Benter makes three point jump shot (Braden Smith assists)	22-46
17:39		Keishon Porter misses two point jump shot
17:37		Oscar Cluff defensive rebound
17:27	+3	Jack Benter makes three point jump shot (C.J. Cox assists)	22-49
17:24		Purple Aces 60 second timeout
17:15		C.J. Cox personal foul
17:02		Keishon Porter misses three point jump shot
17:00		Joshua Hughes offensive rebound
16:54		Oscar Cluff blocks Joshua Hughes's two point layup
16:52		Boilermakers defensive rebound
16:42	+2	Braden Smith makes two point jump shot	22-51
16:26		Bryce Quinet turnover (bad pass) (Braden Smith steals)
16:18		Jack Benter misses three point jump shot
16:16		Oscar Cluff offensive rebound
16:10	+2	Oscar Cluff makes two point layup	22-53
15:43		Leif Moeller misses three point jump shot
15:41		Oscar Cluff defensive rebound
15:28		Keishon Porter personal foul
15:28		TV timeout
15:15		Jack Benter misses three point jump shot
15:13		Purple Aces defensive rebound
15:13		Oscar Cluff personal foul
14:53		Keishon Porter misses two point jump shot
14:51		Joshua Hughes offensive rebound
14:51		Joshua Hughes misses two point layup
14:49		AJ Casey offensive rebound
14:45	+2	AJ Casey makes two point layup	24-53
14:45		Gicarri Harris shooting foul (AJ Casey draws the foul)
14:45	+1	AJ Casey makes regular free throw 1 of 1	25-53
14:26		Daniel Jacobsen turnover (traveling)
13:59	+2	AJ Casey makes two point layup (Leif Moeller assists)	27-53
13:38		Bryce Quinet shooting foul (Fletcher Loyer draws the foul)
13:38	+1	Fletcher Loyer makes regular free throw 1 of 3	27-54
13:38	+1	Fletcher Loyer makes regular free throw 2 of 3	27-55
13:38	+1	Fletcher Loyer makes regular free throw 3 of 3	27-56
13:28		AJ Casey offensive foul
13:28		AJ Casey turnover (offensive foul)
13:20		Joshua Hughes shooting foul (Daniel Jacobsen draws the foul)
13:20	+1	Daniel Jacobsen makes regular free throw 1 of 2	27-57
13:20		Daniel Jacobsen misses regular free throw 2 of 2
13:20		Joshua Hughes defensive rebound
12:54		Joshua Hughes misses three point jump shot
12:52		Keishon Porter offensive rebound
12:44		Bryce Quinet misses three point jump shot
12:42		Joshua Hughes offensive rebound
12:37	+2	AJ Casey makes two point jump shot (Joshua Hughes assists)	29-57
12:16	+2	Daniel Jacobsen makes two point layup (Braden Smith assists)	29-59
11:52		AJ Casey misses three point jump shot
11:50		Braden Smith defensive rebound
11:38		Daniel Jacobsen offensive foul
11:38		Daniel Jacobsen turnover (offensive foul)
11:38		TV timeout
11:21	+2	AJ Casey makes two point hook shot (Bryce Quinet assists)	31-59
10:56		Daniel Jacobsen misses two point hook shot
10:54		Daniel Jacobsen offensive rebound
10:48	+2	Daniel Jacobsen makes two point layup	31-61
10:31		Keishon Porter misses two point jump shot
10:29		James Dyson-Merwe offensive rebound
10:22	+2	James Dyson-Merwe makes two point layup	33-61
10:09		Keishon Porter personal foul
10:03		Omer Mayer misses two point jump shot
10:01		AJ Casey defensive rebound
9:52		Keishon Porter misses three point jump shot
9:50		Omer Mayer defensive rebound
9:39		Gicarri Harris misses three point jump shot
9:37		AJ Casey defensive rebound
9:19		Bryce Quinet misses three point jump shot
9:17		Daniel Jacobsen defensive rebound
9:03		Liam Murphy misses three point jump shot
9:01		James Dyson-Merwe personal foul
8:56		Omer Mayer misses three point jump shot
8:54		Jack Benter offensive rebound
8:49	+3	Fletcher Loyer makes three point jump shot (Jack Benter assists)	33-64
8:41		Omer Mayer personal foul
8:25	+2	Joshua Hughes makes two point hook shot	35-64
8:04	+3	Omer Mayer makes three point jump shot (Fletcher Loyer assists)	35-67
7:40	+2	Keishon Porter makes two point jump shot (James Dyson-Merwe assists)	37-67
7:17		Jack Benter turnover (lost ball)
7:10		Trent Hundley misses three point jump shot
7:08		Oscar Cluff defensive rebound
7:02		Omer Mayer misses two point layup
7:00		Bryce Quinet defensive rebound
6:55		Bryce Quinet misses two point layup
6:53		Oscar Cluff defensive rebound
6:53		TV timeout
6:35	+3	Fletcher Loyer makes three point jump shot (Braden Smith assists)	37-70
6:14		Joshua Hughes turnover (out of bounds)
5:59		Trent Hundley shooting foul (Fletcher Loyer draws the foul)
5:59	+1	Fletcher Loyer makes regular free throw 1 of 3	37-71
5:59	+1	Fletcher Loyer makes regular free throw 2 of 3	37-72
5:59	+1	Fletcher Loyer makes regular free throw 3 of 3	37-73
5:49		Omer Mayer personal foul
5:39		Trent Hundley misses three point jump shot
5:37		Purple Aces offensive rebound
5:33	+3	Joshua Hughes makes three point jump shot (Trent Hundley assists)	40-73
5:07		Fletcher Loyer misses three point jump shot
5:07		Purple Aces defensive rebound
4:54		Leif Moeller misses two point layup
4:52		AJ Casey offensive rebound
4:45		AJ Casey misses two point layup
4:43		Daniel Jacobsen defensive rebound
4:34	+2	Daniel Jacobsen makes two point jump shot (Gicarri Harris assists)	40-75
4:18		Leif Moeller turnover (lost ball) (Liam Murphy steals)
4:11	+3	Gicarri Harris makes three point jump shot (C.J. Cox assists)	40-78
3:50	+3	Joshua Hughes makes three point jump shot (AJ Casey assists)	43-78
3:23		TV timeout
3:23		Leif Moeller personal foul
3:23	+1	Daniel Jacobsen makes regular free throw 1 of 2	43-79
3:23	+1	Daniel Jacobsen makes regular free throw 2 of 2	43-80
3:09		Daniel Jacobsen blocks AJ Casey's two point jump shot
3:07		Purple Aces offensive rebound
2:56	+3	Trent Hundley makes three point jump shot (AJ Casey assists)	46-80
2:34		Liam Murphy misses three point jump shot
2:32		Trent Hundley defensive rebound
2:08	+3	Trent Hundley makes three point jump shot (Kaia Berridge assists)	49-80
1:51		Daniel Jacobsen misses three point jump shot
1:49		AJ Casey defensive rebound
1:32		AJ Casey misses three point jump shot
1:30		James Dyson-Merwe offensive rebound
1:04		Bryce Quinet misses two point jump shot
1:02		Jack Lusk defensive rebound
0:50	+2	Aaron Fine makes two point layup	49-82
0:37		Trent Hundley misses three point jump shot
0:35		James Dyson-Merwe offensive rebound
0:29		Trent Hundley misses three point jump shot
0:27		James Dyson-Merwe offensive rebound
0:20	+2	James Dyson-Merwe makes two point layup	51-82
0:00		End of period

+ 2

James Dyson-Merwe makes two point layup