Matt Painter wins 500th at Purdue as Boilermakers advance - ESPN

ST. LOUIS — Matt Painter was born in Fort Wayne, Indiana, and he grew up in Muncie in the days when Bob Knight had the Hoosiers humming like a college basketball juggernaut. So it makes sense that Painter would have rooted for the crimson-and-cream as a youngster.

«I know that's sacrilegious now,» Painter said with a smile.

Well, Purdue fans have long forgiven him.

After spending four years playing point guard for Boilermakers legend Gene Keady, and eventually succeeding him as the head coach, Painter has turned Purdue into a juggernaut of its own. He has the black-and-gold headed back to the Sweet 16 after a 79-69 win over Miami in the NCAA tournament on Sunday that also gave Painter his 500th win at the school.

«These guys — I know coaches talk about it — but they've put in so much in all areas to be the best they can be,» Painter said afterward. «That's how you end up getting a lot of victories, because you have really good players that are committed.»

The Boilermakers will play No. 11 seed Texas on Thursday night in the West Region semifinals in San Jose, California.

«It's awesome,» said Purdue guard Braden Smith, who has been part of 116 of Painter's wins. «Coach Painter is the reason we're here, because of who he is and how he conducts himself. Five hundred wins is a huge accomplishment.»

Painter improved to 525-328 for his career, which includes a single season at Southern Illinois in which the Salukis when 25-5 and he was voted the Missouri Valley coach of the year. The Boilermakers quickly tapped him to be Keady's successor, and after a transitional year spent as the associate head coach, Painter took over for good for the 2005-06 season.

The success wasn't sudden — Purdue won just nine games his first year —