In a commanding performance on Friday night, Braden Smith led No. 11 Purdue to a decisive 91-64 victory over No. 21 Michigan. Smith was instrumental in the win, contributing 24 points, 10 assists, seven rebounds, and four steals while shooting 10 of 17 from the field. His impressive display came with only one turnover during his 37 minutes on the court, putting him close to achieving a rare triple-double, a feat last accomplished by Purdue great Joe Barry Carroll in December 1977.
Supporting Smith in the scoring department were Fletcher Loyer and Trey Kaufman-Renn, who added 18 and 15 points, respectively. Purdue (16-5, 8-2 Big Ten) bounced back in style from their recent home defeat to Ohio State, celebrating a memorable milestone as the game was the 500th Big Ten matchup held at Mackey Arena.
Vladislav Goldin was a bright spot for Michigan (14-5, 6-2), scoring 14 points, while Tre Donaldson, Nimari Burnett, and Roddy Gayle Jr. each chipped in with 11 points. However, Michigan struggled to keep pace with the motivated Boilermakers throughout the game.
Purdue wasted no time in establishing their dominance, beginning the game with a 13-2 run and extending their lead to 36-13 midway through the first half. At one point, the Boilermakers were ahead by 29 points, ultimately securing their largest halftime advantage of the season at 51-26.
Key takeaways from the game highlight Michigan’s struggle, especially in the early minutes where they committed five turnovers within the first three and a half minutes. Meanwhile, Purdue showcased their determination to recover from the recent setback against Ohio State by maintaining control from the start.
A defining moment for Purdue occurred right from the outset, as Smith executed a steal on Michigan’s opening possession, which was quickly followed by C.J. Cox forcing a jump ball that led to another turnover for the Wolverines.
The statistics told the story of the night, with Michigan suffering from 22 turnovers and a dismal shooting performance of 6 for 29 from beyond the arc.
Looking ahead, Michigan will host Penn State on Monday night, while Purdue prepares to face Indiana at home on Friday night, both teams eager to continue their respective seasons.
