Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
[Piscataway, NJ]- Another close game ended with a Purdue win Saturday.
Second Ranked in the nation Purdue traveled to Rutgers for a Big Ten contest, a place that has not been kind to the Boilermakers in the past. Purdue trailed to start the game after Rutger’s Austin Williams hit a layup in the opening minutes. That was answered by the Boilermakers twenty seconds later, after Braden Smith nailed a three with Lance Jones getting the assist.
After taking the 3-2 lead, Purdue never looked back, despite some rallies by the Scarlett Knights. One of those rallies came in the second half, where Rutgers was on a 6-0 run, cutting Purdue’s lead to 43-36. After the Jamichael Davis make pushing the scoring run to 6, Purdue Head Coach Matt Painter called a timeout. Rutgers pushed the scoring run to 8-0 after that timeout before giving up a layup to reigning and favorited National Player of the Year Zach Edey.
Rutgers would come within two twice in the second half, first with 8:12 left (50-48), and secondly with 5:19 (55-53). Late scores and stops by the Purdue defense helped Purdue push their lead and eventually led to the 68-60 win.
Speaking of the Boilermaker defense, they held Rutgers to their lowest first half point total this season. Purdue led at the half 33-20.
Edey led Purdue in points (26) and rebounds (12). Those numbers gave Zach Edey his fifth double-double in a row, going back to the game against Penn State on January 13th.
Purdue only allowed Rutgers leading scorer, Aundre Hyatt, to put up fifteen points in the game.
Other than Edey, Purdue only had one other double-digit scorer. Braden Smith had 19 points, seven of ten from the field and three of five from the three-point line. The Boilermaker’s bench contributed twelve points, with only three bench players scoring.
Fletcher Loyer and Lance Jones took a combined nine three-point shots but did not convert a single one. Other than Smith, Mason Gillis was the only Boilermaker to make a three (3-4).
In total, Purdue converted 48.9% (22-45) from the field, 26% (5-19) from beyond the arch, and hit 76% (19-25) of their free throws. Purdue also led with points in the paint, with 30. In categories other than scoring, Rutgers won. The Scarlett Knights out rebounded Purdue 36-32; committed less turnovers with only 10 (Purdue had 15); and had the most points off turnovers with 17.
Outside of the win where ranked opponents were only 1-2 in Piscataway, Purdue’s Zach Edey crossed a Big Ten milestone by joining the 2,000-point, 1,000-rebound club.
#2 Purdue now turns their attention to Northwestern, who come to Mackey Arena on Wednesday. Tip-off is at 6:30 PM Eastern.
