Purdue coach Matt Painter led the Boilermakers to two early wins this season despite missing senior starter Trey Kaufman-Renn. The 6’9″ power forward was sidelined against Evansville and Oakland due to a hip pointer and back soreness.
Kaufman-Renn has missed the first two games of the 2025-26 men’s college basketball season despite playing 110 straight games for the Boilermakers in the previous three seasons. Painter addressed the senior’s situation in a postgame press conference after Purdue’s win over Oakland on Nov. 7.
Purdue Coach Matt Painter Says Trey Kaufman-Renn Still Bothered With Injuries
The Boilermakers coach discussed Kaufman-Renn’s health status after the team’s 87-77 win over Oakland. Painter said the power forward had a walkthrough and performed non-contact and shooting drills in preparation for the game against the Golden Grizzlies, but the injuries remain bothering him, forcing him to be sidelined for the second straight game.
“He started going through the walkthrough. He did non-contact (drills) the last two days and went through our shootaround,” the veteran coach said. “He did a couple of things and then he just said it was still bothering him.”
He previously stated that Kaufman-Renn’s injury isn’t a long-term issue and was listed as a game-time decision. Painter noted that the senior’s absence gives him the opportunity to tinker with his lineup and play different combinations that he can use in future games if another player gets injured.
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Painter started 6’6″ guard Jack Benter to play the power forward spot and finished with 11 points, seven rebounds, three assists, and one steal in 29 minutes. He also inserted 6’8″ forward Liam Murphy, who produced 11 points and two rebounds. Sophomore 7’4″ center Daniel Jacobsen came up with two points, two rebounds, and three blocks in 11 minutes.
With Kaufman-Renn sidelined, Braden Smith commanded Purdue’s win over Oakland, leading with 20 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists. Fletcher Loyer added 15 points after his recent 30-point outing, while Oscar Cluff and C.J. Cox each scored 14.
Building on Smith’s performance, as a group, the Boilermakers shot 47.1% from the field, including 37.1% from the 3-point line, and dished out 22 assists. Purdue took care of the ball for the second straight game, finishing with five turnovers.
Looking ahead, it remains uncertain whether Kaufman-Renn will play against Alabama on Nov. 13, Purdue’s first real challenge of the season.
However, with things working out for the Boilermakers so far, Painter is expected to prepare an effective combination that would hold off the Crimson Tide and help his team win its third straight game.
