PISCATAWAY, N.J. — In a decisive matchup, No. 20 Purdue triumphed over Rutgers with a score of 68-50 on Thursday night, thanks to the standout performances of Braden Smith and Trey Kaufman-Renn, who each contributed 16 points to the win.
Smith, recognized earlier in the week as the Big Ten Player of the Week, showcased his playmaking skills by delivering 14 assists in the game. Meanwhile, team member Fletcher Loyer added 13 points to his tally, bringing his career total to 1,009 points, thus joining Smith in the exclusive 1,000-point club.
The Boilermakers improved their record to 12-4 overall and 4-1 in the Big Ten, marking their fourth consecutive victory, a repeat of their earlier four-game season opening streak.
On the other hand, Rutgers, now at 8-8 and 1-4 in the conference, was led by promising freshman Ace Bailey who scored 17 points. Tyson Acuff also contributed with 10 points.
This contest marked the second successive game where the Scarlet Knights found themselves trailing from the outset, and unfortunately, they have now lost four of their last five. Another freshman, Dylan Harper, who recently suffered from the flu, managed to score six points in 28 minutes of play, falling short of expectations after averaging 40 points in combined performances with Bailey before the game.
Takeaways from the game highlight that Rutgers struggled to maintain momentum, failing to convert on multiple opportunities as their leading scorers faced challenges. Their best stretch was a brief 6-0 run.
For Purdue, their solid performance was marked by an impressive assists-to-turnover ratio, recording 18 assists against just eight turnovers. Over their last four games, the Boilermakers have totaled only 30 turnovers.
A notable moment occurred when Rutgers managed to close the gap to five points (46-41), but Purdue quickly responded with a decisive 9-0 run, securing a stronger lead at 55-41 with 8:28 remaining in the game.
One critical statistic for Rutgers was their 16 turnovers, which contributed to 11 points being scored by Purdue.
Looking ahead, Purdue is set to host Nebraska on Sunday, while Rutgers will conclude its three-game homestand against No. 22 UCLA on Monday, marking the Bruins’ first visit to Jersey Mike’s Arena.
