Source: Icon Sportswire / Getty
[West Lafayette, IN]- Third ranked Purdue finished the 2023-24 Big Ten regular season with a 78-70 win over Wisconsin Sunday.
The Boilermakers already secured their outright conference title earlier in the week with a win over thirteenth ranked Illinois. This win was for the seniors, who played their final regular season game in Mackey Arena.
Purdue started the game strong. In the first half, the Boilermakers largest lead was fourteen. Zach Edey, Trey Kaufman-Renn, Lance Jones, Braden Smith, Fletcher Loyer, and Caleb Furst all scored for Purdue. At the end of the first half, Purdue had an eleven-point lead, 44-33.
In the second half, Wisconsin would cut the Boilermaker lead to four thanks to Kamari McGee near the halfway point 55-51. However, that is as close as Purdue would let Wisconsin get. Purdue would continue to hit shots from each part of the floor. After getting up 78-62 with just under two minutes left, Purdue would not make another basket. Wisconsin would end the game on an 8-0 run, closing with an AJ Storr dunk.
As a team, Purdue converted 49.1% of their shots from the floor. They went nine of eighteen from the three-point line and hit seventeen of their twenty-one free throws. The Boilermakers also hauled in thirty-seven rebounds, while only allowing the Badgers to bring in twenty-eight. Purdue was +10 in the assist category, winning 21-10. However, Purdue once again saw a difference in the turnover margin. Wisconsin forced fourteen Boilermaker turnovers, while Purdue forced eight. Purdue also lost the Points in the Paint battle, 34-30.
Individually, Zach Edey led the way with another double-double. The senior finished his Mackey career with twenty-five points and fourteen rebounds. Sophomore Braden Smith also had a double-double with ten points and ten assists. Fletcher Loyer (15) and Lance Jones (13) were the only other Boilermakers to score in double figures. Kaufman Renn finished with four points, while Caleb Furst came off the bench to attribute five. Those were the only points off the bench for Purdue. Loyer had the best shooting numbers, going perfect from the field, hitting both of his three pointers, and was perfect from the free throw line. Edey would go to the free throw line the most of either team, hitting eleven of his attempts.
Purdue finishes the regular season 28-3, with a 17-3 Big Ten Conference record. The attentions now turn to the Big Ten Tournament, which start March 13th. Purdue will look to be the first back-to-back conference tournament champions since the 2017 and 2018 Michigan Wolverines.
