• Purdue basketball defeated McNeese State, 76-62, Saturday to advance to the Sweet 16 in Indianapolis.
• Purdue’s recent success is attributed to hustle plays, exemplified by Braden Smith’s effort in the McNeese State game.
• The Boilermakers have maintained their signature “play hard” style instilled by former coach Gene Keady and enhanced by Matt Painter.

PROVIDENCE — Matt Painter saw no way for Braden Smith to corral a loose ball as he raced toward the Purdue basketball bench late in the first half Saturday.

Painter assumed it was a “fake-hustle play.”

Rest assured, it was not.

It was emblematic of the Boilermaker blue-collar style Gene Keady built and Painter enhanced when he succeeded Keady as head coach.

“He has no chance to get the ball and he makes the play,” Painter said. “It’s right in front of me. It’s coming right at me and that was my first instinct, like, he can’t get there. And he obviously did.”

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More: ‘Now you’re going to go viral’: Purdue coach Matt Painter unsure of new tradition

Not only did Smith get there, he saved the ball ahead to Myles Colvin, who drew a foul and made two free throws that increased Purdue lead to 22 points on the way a 76-62 win over McNeese State. The victory sent the Boilermakers to the Sweet 16 Friday in Indianapolis.

“That’s what people expect of me,” said Smith, the Big Ten Player of the Year and a consensus first-team All-American. “No one really cheers too loud and crazy because that’s the expectation.”

Purdue basketball brand on display in March Madness

Keady put the words “play hard” on the back of Purdue practice shorts as a reminder to give full effort all the time.

It wound up being more than a catch phrase, finding its way onto walls inside Mackey Arena.

More: Purdue basketball’s ‘Play hard’ style took Gene Keady to Hall of Fame

Ask any coach familiar with Purdue’s history and they’ll tell you the Boilermakers haven’t strayed from their identity over the 45 years since Keady was hired in West Lafayette.

Keady may have coined the phrase, but the Boilers have been a living, breathing example of it in Providence this week.

It was Smith Saturday at Amica Mutual Pavilion, but teammates remember Zach Edey doing the same thing last season in Bloomington.

“I remember Zach last year. He had one when we were playing Indiana and he dove on the floor,” said Trey Kaufman-Renn, who had 22 points and 15 rebounds against McNeese State. “When your best players are making those hustle plays, it inspires everybody. That was a big play in the game. It ignites the entire team.”

How Purdue got to the Sweet 16 of NCAA Tournament

Purdue’s finish to the Big Ten Tournament left doubters. The Boilermakers entered the NCAA Tournament having lost six of nine.

Junior guard Fletcher Loyer promised the team could flip a switch. Lots of people say that. Few can actually do it.

Through two rounds, Purdue has two double-digit victories, a plus-38 rebounding advantange and is shooting 45.5%.

More importantly, the Boilermakers reverted to their identity: a team that plays hard.

“The way we’ve rebounded has been a great example of that,” Loyer said. “Our best player Braden getting on the floor for that one loose ball. It’s what you need out of your best player. You see Zach do it last year and it pushes everybody else to get to that standard.

“I am going to continue pushing (Smith) and Trey and everybody else to keep playing as hard as you can. It’s win or go home.”

Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.