Purdue basketball blows double-digit leads as it loses at Michigan, Big Ten lead
ANN ARBOR, Mich. — Purdue basketball’s quest for a third straight Big Ten championship just got a little tougher.
The seventh-ranked Boilermakers watched a double-digit lead in the second half slip away at the Crisler Center. on Tuesday.
No. 17 Michigan rallied to knock off Purdue 75-73 and seize control of first place in the league.
Purdue (19-6, 11-3 Big Ten) dominated from start to finish when Michigan visited West Lafayette on Jan. 24 but the Wolverines turned the tables, getting Purdue’s post players in foul trouble.
Caleb Furst and Trey Kaufman-Renn fouled out 46 seconds apart down the stretch.
Still, thanks to the heroics of Braden Smith, who hit back-to-back 3s, Purdue had a final shot for the win after Danny Wolf missed a pair of free throws with 6.9 seconds to go. Smith threw up a desperation contested 3 from beyond the right wing that was off the mark.
The final possessions were set up by Smith, who got up court, crossed over the 7-footer Wolf, and hit an open 3 to cut the deficit to two.
Purdue basketball turning point
Fletcher Loyer’s 3 late in the first half put the Boilermakers ahead 37-26, but the they failed to bury Michigan like they did two-and-a-half weeks ago.
It was the first of two double-digit leads Purdue had that it couldn’t build on.
The Wolverines scored the final nine points of the first half to close within two. A 7-0 Purdue run in the second half put the Boilermakers ahead 48-38 with 14:44 left.
Again, Purdue’s inability to put the Wolverines away backfired.
Furst missed a dunk with 2:01 to go, then fouled Vladislav Goldin on the rebound. Goldin made both free throws and Purdue couldn’t regain control.
3 stars
Roddy Gayle, Michigan: A year ago while playing for Ohio State, Gayle led the Buckeyes with four assists to spark an upset win over Purdue. Gayle was quiet in the second half, but his 12 points and five rebounds in the opening half kept Purdue from being comfortably ahead.
Danny Wolf, Michigan: Wolf was held in check last time versus Purdue. He provided the all-around performance he’s becoming known for in the Big Ten in the rematch. Wolf finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, two assists and two blocks.
Braden Smith, Purdue: Smith was aggressive seeking his shot early, and made 6 of 9 to start. Smith missed his final four shots of the first half, including a deep 3 at the buzzer, but had 14 points at intermission. Smith finished with a game-high 24 points to go with six rebounds and five assists.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
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