Purdue senior guard Braden Smith made Big Ten history on Saturday night, surpassing Michigan State’s legend Cassius Winston to become the conference’s all-time career assists leader. Smith recorded 12 assists in the Boilermakers’ 89-73 victory over Wisconsin at the Kohl Center, increasing his career total to 893 and eclipsing Winston’s 890 assists compiled from 2017-2020.

The record-breaking assist came with 9:22 remaining when Smith drove down the right side of the lane and found Oscar Cluff for a layup while drawing a foul. The play gave Purdue a 77-52 lead and triggered chants of “Braden Smith!” from a sizable contingent of Boilermaker fans in attendance. It was Smith’s 10th assist of the game, slightly above his 9.6 assists-per-game average heading into the contest, which led all Division I players.

Smith’s performance also included 14 points, four rebounds, and a steal, giving him his fourth double-double of the season. His floor leadership was on display throughout the game, as he remained active despite picking up his third foul with 16:38 left in the second half. Head coach Matt Painter kept Smith in the game, trusting his senior guard to orchestrate Purdue’s offense during a critical stretch.

The victory improved Purdue to 13-1 overall and 3-0 in Big Ten play. Fletcher Loyer led the team in scoring with 20 points on 4-of-10 three-point shooting, while CJ Cox added 14 points and three three-pointers. Cluff grabbed a double-double with 12 points and 11 rebounds, and Trey Kaufman-Renn added 11 points. All five starters scored in double figures.

Purdue overcame an early 9-2 deficit as Wisconsin, led by John Blackwell, attacked the basket effectively to start the game. Wisconsin out-rebounded Purdue 20-13 in the first half, but the Boilermakers made the Badgers pay for their turnovers and led 45-38 at the break. Smith contributed four points and four assists during a late first-half run, setting the tone for the second half.

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Smith entered the season fourth all-time in Big Ten assists, having passed Illinois’ Bruce Douglas (765) and Michigan State’s Mateen Cleaves (816) earlier in his career. In addition to becoming the conference’s all-time leader, Smith holds Purdue’s career assists record, previously set by Bruce Parkinson. He is also the all-time assists leader among players from Indiana high schools and colleges, surpassing Notre Dame’s Chris Thomas (833).

With at least 19 regular-season games remaining, Smith averages 9.6 assists this season and is 183 shy of Duke’s Bobby Hurley’s NCAA record of 1,076. Reaching Hurley’s figure would require averaging 9.8 assists per game over the remainder of the season.

“Obviously, it's something cool to see and be a part of,” the 6-foot Westfield, Indiana native said. “But at the end of the day, I'm here for something bigger than that, and that's to win a national championship. That's really our main focus.”

Purdue returns home to host Washington on Wednesday for its first home game of 2026, as Smith and the Boilermakers look to build on a historic night in Madison.