For a few moments on Saturday night, Braden Smith probably felt like he was playing a game in Mackey Arena. Inside the Kohl Center, the Purdue fans who made the journey to Madison began chanting his name as he broke the Big Ten’s all-time assist record.
Playing in an opposing arena and hearing your name chanted like it’s a home game is pretty special. But something — or someone — reminded Smith that this wasn’t a game being played in West Lafayette. A few Badger fans decided to chirp to the All-American guard during the game, a decision they likely regretted.
“Something frustrated me — some people talking a lot in that front row,” Smith said after the game. “I was like, ‘Are you not listening to what’s going on out here?’ You’re talking to me, calling me too small, that doesn’t make sense. Too small, but the whole opposing arena is chanting my name; it doesn’t look very good on you.”…