[ad_1]
WEST LAFAYETTE – Saturday was a good day for Purdue basketball.
Wisconsin was beaten by Rutgers.
Michigan State came back to beat Illinois.
The second-ranked Boilermakers then pummeled their rival 79-59 at Mackey Arena, completing the season sweep of Indiana.
Related:When Purdue basketball needs a big shot, the Boilermakers turn to Lance Jones
Women’s basketball:Why Purdue women’s basketball coach Katie Gearlds is a Kansas City Chiefs devotee
And Zach Edey finally hit his three-pointer.
Purdue now has a comfortable 2.5-game lead over Illinois in the Big Ten standings with seven regular-season games remaining.
It’s over when
The Hoosiers held their own from the start.
So they didn’t do it.
Purdue, which led 20-18 midway through the first half, went on a 15-1 run, a stretch in which Indiana missed eight straight shots and turned the ball over five times.
The Boilermakers never allowed their opponent to rally, overcoming a cold 0-for-7 start from 3 with 3-pointers from Braden Smith, Myles Colvin and Mason Gillis.
Zach Edey Clock
The big man hit a 3-pointer from the top of the key in the second half.
It was the last single item left on Edey’s checklist. He is now 1-for-2-for-3 in his career and can probably cancel all future plans to shoot from beyond the arc.
That capped another big game for the man on track to likely repeat as National Player of the Year.
Edey finished with 26 points, 13 rebounds, 4 assists, 2 blocks and 1 steal.
3 star
Braden Smith, Purdue: In three previous games against the Hoosiers, Smith was a combined 5-for-33 from the field. At halftime, the second-year guard was 7 of 11 with 15 points and 6 rebounds. Smith scored 19 and added 9 rebounds and 3 assists.
Trey Kaufman-Renn, Purdue: Edey draws attention, but ask Purdue players and they’ll all sing Kaufman-Renn’s praises. Early in the second half, the Boilers let the redshirt sophomore go to work. Not many points were scored, but Kaufman-Renn’s impact was felt on both sides. He committed three fouls on a Purdue possession and moved to the other end, where he was celebrated for diving to the ground after a fumble. His effort also earned Kaufman-Renn 7 rebounds and 7 points.
Mason Gillis, Purdue: Showing that both Kaufman-Renn and Gillis can complement each other as a rotating 4, Gillis also gave the Boilermakers a boost with his hustle. And, of course, I pulled it from him. Gillis’ back-to-back 3-pointers in the second half sparked the moment when the Hoosiers essentially waived the white flag. Gillis scored 9 points on 3-of-6 shooting and added 5 rebounds.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on Twitter and Instagram @samueltking.
[ad_2]
Source link