Purdue Dominates Southern California in 90-72 Triumph

In a commanding performance, Trey Kaufman-Renn led No. 7 Purdue to a 90-72 win over Southern California on Friday night, marking the Boilermakers’ fourth consecutive victory. Kaufman-Renn finished the game with 24 points and 10 rebounds, showcasing his skills on both ends of the court.

Fletcher Loyer contributed significantly, adding 14 points to the scoreboard for Purdue (19-5, 11-2 Big Ten). The team displayed their dominance on the boards, finishing with a rebounding advantage of 48-31 over the Trojans. Braden Smith and Caleb Furst were just shy of achieving double-doubles, with Smith recording 9 points and leading the team with 13 assists, while Furst also had 9 points along with 10 rebounds.

For the Trojans (13-10, 5-7), redshirt freshman Wesley Yates III had a standout performance, scoring a career-high 30 points, with 22 of those coming in a strong first half. Despite his impressive outing, Yates had to navigate the second half with four fouls, having picked up his fourth at 16:25 remaining in the game. Isaiah Elohim added 11 points, and Jalen Shelley chipped in 10 for USC, who were playing without their leading scorer Desmond Claude, sidelined due to a knee injury.

Purdue dominated the first half, shooting an impressive 67% and taking a 48-36 lead into halftime. However, both teams struggled from beyond the arc, with USC shooting a disappointing 4 of 26 and Purdue finishing at 6 of 26.

In terms of pivotal takeaways, USC struggled with their scoring output in Claude’s absence, managing only 16 of 29 from the free-throw line. Meanwhile, the win puts Purdue two games ahead of Michigan State and Michigan, both sitting at 9-2, as they pursue a third consecutive Big Ten regular-season title.

A key moment of the game came when Myles Colvin electrified the crowd with a fast-break dunk, set up by Smith, extending Purdue’s lead to 42-27 with just 3:23 remaining in the first half.

Despite the rough shooting from outside, Purdue dominated the paint, outscoring USC 52-36 in points in the key area, a testament to their inside presence.

Looking ahead, both teams are set to play again Tuesday night, with Southern California hosting Penn State, while Purdue will travel to face No. 24 Michigan.