Purdue's Braden Smith breaks Bobby Hurley's Division I career assist record in NCAA tourney opener

Purdue guard Braden Smith broke former Duke star Bobby Hurley’s Division I assist record on Friday night, picking up his second of the game and the 1,077th of his career.

Purdue guard Braden Smith broke former Duke star Bobby Hurley’s Division I assist record on Friday night, picking up his second of the game and the 1,077th of his career with a feed to Trey Kaufman-Renn with 12:11 to go in the first half of the Boilermakers’ NCAA Tournament game against Queens.

Smith went on to score 26 points and finish with eight assists in second-seeded Purdue’s 104-71 rout of the No. 15 seed Royals.

The All-American already was the only player in NCAA history with at least 1,500 points, 1,000 assists and 500 career rebounds, and Smith is one of two players along with Southern’s Avery Johnson to have had at least 300 assists in two different seasons.

“I don’t think it’s really set in, because to me, again, it’s my job. It’s what I’m supposed to do,” Smith said. “You’re supposed to get guys the ball to go score, and obviously I have a lot of great people around me who can do that.”

Guys like Kaufman-Renn, who finished with 25 points, and Fletcher Loyer, who had 14.