Source: Mike Mulholland / Getty
[Ann Arbor, MI]- Third ranked Purdue survived another slow start in Ann Arbor Sunday.
The Boilermakers ended their month of February with an 84-76 win over the Michigan Wolverines. The win did not come without it’s struggles though. Purdue gave up a 5-0 run to start the game, lasting just under two and a half minutes. The Boilermakers finally made their first basket at the 17:33 mark in the first half, trailing 5-2. Zach Edey hit the first shot for Purdue, who went 0-5 to start the game. Michigan would get their largest lead of the game with 10:37 left in the half, leading 22-15. Purdue would respond by going on an 8-0 run over a two-minute period and taking their first lead 23-22. That lead was short lived though, as Michigan responded with a Tray Jackson three pointer. Michigan regained a 25-23 lead. The first tie, excluding the 0-0 start, came at the 8:02 mark in the half when Braden Smith knocked down two free throws for a 25-25 game.
A foul on Cameron Heide would send Michigan to the free throw line with a one and one. After missing the first, Terrance Washington II knocked down his second free throw, breaking the tie 26-25 Michigan. There would be three more lead changes the rest of the first half: 28-26 Purdue, 30-29 Michigan, 32-30 Purdue. Mason Gillis and Smith would have threes during these changes. After taking the lead for the final time in the first half, Purdue would not allow Michigan to get within more than two. At the half, Purdue led 47-36.
Purdue’s lead would extend in the second half to fourteen, 52-38. The Boilermakers would never look back after, despite an attempted comeback late in the second half by the Wolverines.
Individually, Zach Edey led the game in scoring with 35 points, going 14-18 from the floor and hitting seven of eleven free throws. Edey’s first missed free throw snapped a streak of nineteen consecutive makes. He also added fifteen rebounds, restarting his double-double game streak. Lance Jones followed with 15 points, 50% from the field (6-12), 3-7 from three-point range and 0-2 from the charity stripe. Smith was the only other double-digit scorer, notching eleven points on a 3-14 day. Smith would also have a double-double, with eleven assists.
After multiple games with multiple early fouls, Edey for the second straight time would only have one foul all game.
As a team, Purdue shot 47.1% from the field, 29.2% from the arch and beyond, hit 68.4% of their free throws. The Boilermakers outrebounded Michigan 41-28; had more steals (7-5); and had less fouls all game. Purdue also had their fewest turnovers in February, only eight committed during the Sunday slate. That is also the first time since their 79-59 win against Indiana on February 10th they had not committed double digit fouls.
#3 Purdue’s hold on the Big Ten improved with the win, putting them two and a half games up on #12 Illinois. The Boilermakers host Michigan State next Saturday at Mackey Arena. Tip-off is at 8:00 PM Eastern.
