Source: John Fisher / Getty
[Madison, WI]- The Purdue Boilermakers are the top team in the Big Ten.
#2 Purdue faced off with #6 Wisconsin Sunday for the number one spot in the Big Ten. It was the Boilermakers who would leave Madison, Wisconsin with that designation, winning 75-69.
Lance Jones went 8-14 from the field and 3-7 from the three for twenty points, leading the Boilermakers in that category. Zach Edey would notch another double-double this season, having eighteen points and thirteen rebounds. Those eighteen points are the 74th straight game Edey has scored in double figures. As a team, Purdue had forty-two rebounds, twelve assists, and hit 78% of their free throws.
In the good, there is often bad. One of which was the bench for Purdue. Bench points were extremely low for the Boilermakers, only two. Mason Gillis would add six rebounds off the bench for Purdue. The other bad, the three-point percentage. Also, Purdue only converted 27.3% of their threes Saturday, which is lower than their current season average of 40.8%. The Boilermakers would again lose the turnover battle with eleven turnovers to five. For the first time in a while, Purdue lost the points in paint statistic, allowing forty-four for Wisconsin to their thirty-four.
In the first half, Wisconsin jumped out to a 4-0 run before Zach Edey converted one free throw. The Badgers would keep the lead until 9:57 left in the first half, where Purdue would take an 18-17 advantage. Purdue would hold the lead through the end of the first half, not allowing Wisconsin to come within less than two. Purdue’s largest lead would come in the second half with a 48-38 lead with 14:37 left to play. Edey would end the game with Purdue up 75-69 with a defensive rebound.
With the road trip win, Purdue now holds the top spot in the Big Ten, pushing Wisconsin 1.5 games back from them. The Boilermakers are also riding a seven game win streak ahead of their rivalry matchup with Indiana on February 10th.
Purdue and Wisconsin will meet again on March 10th at Mackey Arena. The Big Ten tournament will start on March 13th.
