Boilers take out frustration on Rutgers

Purdue Explodes Past Rutgers

by: Steven Stremming/Excel H Sports/USBWA

photos by: Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network

videography: Cainan Harper/Excel H Sports

On a warm February evening at Mackey Arena, the Purdue Boilermakers came out of the gate strong as reigning National Player of the Year, Zach Edey and Westfield, Indiana sophomore Braden Smith both sank baskets to forge a lead in the first half that they never relinquished.

Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network

Rutgers post Clifford Omoruyi hit from deep inside the post to register the Scarlet Knights first points of the night.

Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network

Purdue and Rutgers would trade baskets all the way to the 25-22 score in the game when New Castle, Indiana’s Mason Gillis canned a three from the top of the arc to put the Boilers up for good at 28 to 22.

Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network

Before that, Wayzata, Minnesota’s redshirt freshmen, Camden Heide lit the Knights up from both corners of the floor for three’s, including a three after Aundre Hyatt closed the gap to one point at 19-18. Heide’s three made it 22 to 18.

Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network

With Loyer in a prolonged shooting slump, the Boiler faithful were anxious to see Heide and he would not disappoint as he followed a Noah Fernandes basket with another three to once again open the Purdue lead to three 25 to 21.

After that the Boilers went on a run that included baskets by Jones, Gillis, Edey, Heide and Smith, you get the picture. A picture far different from the last outing against Ohio State.

At the half, the Boilers took a 52 to 33 lead into the locker room.

Boiler Braden Smith once again showed the country and those in Mackey Arena that he is among the best in NCAA basketball. The key to Smith’s success this year is his ball-handling and his deft passing and his aggressiveness to the hoop and making those around him better.

Heide would see his most minutes of the season (19:17) and hit all seven field goals from the floor, canning four of four from behind the arc. Heide also grabbed two rebounds with a steal and a blocked shot.

Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network

Edey once again dominated in the paint, in his plus 26 minutes of work. Edey scored 25 points, seven rebounds and connected on seven of eight field goals.

Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network

Lance Jones was hitting from the outside with consistency, as he scored 17 points that included three of eight from behind the arc.

Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network

Mason Gillis scored nine points on three of five from three-point area. Gillis also grabbed six rebounds.

Fletcher Loyer and Braden Smith tied for assists with five a piece.

Rutgers just didn’t have a sustainable offense against Purdue tonight.

Rutgers was led by Jeremiah Williams with 12 points and Noah Fernandes who scored 11.

Tony Harper/Excel H Sports/Indiana Sports Network

Jamichael Davis scored nine points, Aundre Hyatt added eight while both Gavin Griffiths and Oskar Palmquist added seven each.

Rutgers big man Clifford Omoruyi was held to only four points.

Video by: Cainan Harper

Purdue MBB Players Post-Game Press Conference After 96-68 Win vs. Rutgers (youtube.com)

#3 Purdue’s Matt Painter Post-Game Press Conference After 96-68 Win Over Rutgers (youtube.com)

(The following is credit sourced to Purdue University Athletics)

• Purdue improved to 24-3 overall and 13-3 in the Big Ten standings with a 96-68 victory over Rutgers in Mackey Arena. The win closed out a season sweep of Rutgers for the Boilermakers.
• Purdue is 24-3 (or better) for just the second time ever (1987-88 à 25-2 start).
• Purdue is now 13-3 in the Big Ten for the fifth time under Matt Painter (2008, 2011, 2018, 2019).
• Purdue’s 28-point win marked its fifth Big Ten home win (out of eight games) by at least 17 points.
• The 96 points scored against Rutgers were the most against the Scarlet Knights in a regulation game since March 2, 2016 against Michigan State (97 points). Rutgers entered the game ranked No. 2 nationally in defensive efficiency.
• Purdue’s 58.9 field goal percentage was a season-best percentage.
• Purdue shot at least 50 percent from the field (.589), 50 percent from 3-point range (.522) and 90 percent (.900) from the free throw line for the fifth time in school history (last vs. Oakland; Dec. 1, 2020).
• Purdue has won 59 straight games when shooting at least 50 percent from the field, 40 percent from deep and 70 percent from the free throw line.
• Purdue has won 117 straight games when scoring at least 90 points (last loss: Nov. 26, 1987).
• Purdue went 18-of-20 from the free throw line and is 38-of-40 (.950) from the free throw line in the last two games.
• Since the start of the 2021-22 season, Purdue owns an 82-17 record. The 82 victories are tied for the third most in a three-game span in school history (83 – 2016 through 2018; 83 – 2017 through 2019).
• Purdue has won 15 straight games in Mackey Arena, 11 of which have come by at least 12 points. The streak is the seventh-longest home winning streak in the country.
• Purdue shot 52.2 percent from 3-point range (12-of-23) and is now shooting 40.6 percent from 3-point range on the season, now No. 1 in the country in 3-point percentage.
• Purdue’s 1.52 points per possession is the fourth-highest total in school history. The Boilermakers scored on 65.1 percent of its possessions (41 of 63).
• Zach Edey saw his 10-game double-double streak end with a 25-point, 7-rebound performance in just 27 minutes (7-of-8 FGs, 11-of-11 FTs). He moved into 18^th place on the Big Ten’s all-time points chart (2,162 points). He needs 13 points to tie Joe Barry Carroll for second on the school’s career scoring list.
• Edey moved into 15^th place on the Big Ten’s career scoring chart for Big Ten games only (1,250 points).
• Cam Heide scored a career-high 18 points, going perfect from the field (7-of-7 FGs, 4-of-4 3Ps). His 18 points on 100 percent efficiency shooting is the fifth-most points on perfect shooting in school history.
• Braden Smith scored 13 points with seven rebounds, five assists, two blocks and a steal. Smith has 345 points, 192 assists and 155 rebounds on the season – the first Purdue player in school history with 300 points, 175 assists and 150 rebounds on the season.