Alabama Fans Learn Hard Lesson After Heckling Purdue's Braden Smith in Pregame

Alabama fans wanted to try to get inside Braden Smith's head before tipoff on Thursday night. Two hours later, people wearing Crimson Tide gear found out why taunting the Purdue guard probably wasn't the smartest decision.

Smith took control in the second half of No. 2 Purdue's 87-80 win over No. 8 Alabama on Thursday night, scoring 21 points in the final 20 minutes to leave Coleman Coliseum with a victory. He finished the game with 29 points, seven rebounds, and four assists, a complete performance from the National Player of the Year candidate.

Before the game, Smith was hearing some of the jeers from the Alabama faithful, according to Nathan Baird of KAUFMAN-RENN JOINS RARE CBB COMPANY. However, the senior guard said that chatter didn't actually provide any additional motivation to perform at a high level.

"I mean, there's an energy, but I'm not giving anybody anything. They did nothing," Smith said, smiling. "I think it's more just how I play with that chip on my shoulder, that competitive fight that I'm always going to have. Obviously, some games it's not there or not as much as it was tonight, but that's what I always try to do. I try to go out there and find some way to have that competitive edge."

Smith shot just 7-of-19 from the floor, but hit some big shots in clutch moments. He was 5-of-10 from three-point range, and made a key layup with 1:18 left in the game, breaking an 80-80 tie to put Purdue back in front.

He also stepped to the charity stripe and knocked down a pair free throws to put the Boilers ahead 84-80 with 47 seconds to play. Oscar Cluff was then able to salt the game away with a pair of late rebounds and making 3-of-4 free throws in the final 30 seconds.

Smith may not acknowledge that Alabama's student section added any fuel to the fire, but it served as a teachable moment for Crimson Tide fans: don't egg on one of the best players in college basketball.

Smith's numbers through three games

It's no surprise that Smith has put up some big-time numbers through Purdue's first three games. After back-to-back 20-point performances, the star guard is now averaging 18.3 points, 8.0 assists, and 5.3 rebounds per contest. He's also shooting 43.8% from three-point range.

Thursday's game against Alabama marked the second straight contest in which Smith took over a game in the second half. He did the same thing last Friday, when Purdue found itself in a closer-than-expected game with Oakland.

Smith finished that game with 20 points, nine assists, and seven rebounds in an 87-77 win. He scored eight of those points in the first four minutes of the second half, providing the Boilermakers with a great boost out of the locker room.

At this rate, Smith is well on his way to earning a second straight Big Ten Player of the Year honor and is the frontrunner for the National Player of the Year award.

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5 THOUGHTS FROM PURDUE'S WIN OVER ALABAMA: No. 2 Purdue takes down No. 8 Alabama in Tuscaloosa on Thursday night. Here are three quick thoughts from the top-10 victory for the Boilermakers. CLICK HERE