INDIANAPOLIS — On Friday night, the Purdue Boilermakers will take the floor inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse for their first round match up with Grambling State. With a few local guys on the roster, it will be a bit of homecoming playing in front of the Indy fans, one of those is sophomore guard Braden Smith.
"It's just cool because not many people have an older brother that plays at a Division I good school," said Maddox Smith, Braden's younger brother.
Braden grew up in Westfield, IN, only a 35 minute drive to Gainbridge Fieldhouse.
"I know there’s a bunch of people coming down tomorrow to the game so I’m excited to watch the kids. It saves us money," said Dustin Smith, Braden's dad.
Dustin and Braden's mom, Ginny Smith, go to basically every Purdue game at home and on the road. They only missed two away games this year.
They were in Columbus last year when the number one seeded Boilermakers became only the second team in tournament history to lose to a sixteen seed.
"Last year was tough. We actually left the next morning and I don’t think we talked the entire way home," said Dustin Smith.
Now, Purdue is back in a similar position and hoping this run though the NCAA tournament turns out different.
"Just a great opportunity for the kids to bounce back right, sports is about adversity and how you respond right so I’m anxious to see these kids respond. They’re competitors, you know they have a will to win that’s not normal, I think when you compare them to just he average Joe," said Ginny Smith.
Purdue will tip off with Grambling State Friday at 7:25 p.m.
