Smith/Loyer Back-to-Back 3’s lift Boilers

Smith/Loyer Back-to-Back 3’s Lift Boilers

written by: Steven Stremming, Excel H Sports/USBWA

With the score 41 to 41, Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer hit back-to-back three-point shots to propel the Purdue Boilermakers to a 47 to 41 lead over the homestanding Iowa Hawkeyes that they would not relinquish.

The game up that point had been a draw, as witnessed by a knotted-up game at the half-time break where the score stood at 36 points apiece.

Purdue would go on a 17 to five run that would surfice for the night.

Braden Smith scored 31 points, on eleven of fifteen from the floor that included a five of seven from behind the arc. Smith also was solid from the line (four of four) free throws, six rebounds and four assists.

Trey Kaufman-Renn tallied 25 points on ten of eighteen from the floor, seven boards and handed out four assists.

Caleb Furst put a solid effort on the floor as he scored ten points, nine rebounds and three steals.

Both C. J. Cox and Fletcher Loyer tallied nine points apiece while Cam Heide scored three points along with five boards and two steals.

Iowa who was playing without Owen Freeman (out for the season) was led by Josh Dix’s 27 points on ten of sixteen from the floor, four rebounds and three steals.

Payton Sandfort scored 23 points on nine of seventeen from the floor, six rebounds and five assists.

Brock Hardy scored 11 for the Hawkeyes.

Purdue moves to ten and two (10-2) in the B1G Ten and 18 and 5 over-all while Iowa drops to 13 and 9 over-all and four and seven (4-7) in the B1G Ten.

The following is courtesy of the University of Iowa

 

GAME NOTES

• After battling to a 36-all tie in the first half, Purdue used a 54-point second half to post a 90-81 victory over Iowa on Tuesday night inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.
  • The Boilermakers shot 54.8 percent from the floor in the second half and made nine 3-pointers.
• The Hawkeyes trailed by 12 points (58-46) with 15:13 remaining.  Iowa closed the gap to 80-77 with 2:42 to play.
• Iowa had three players finish in double figures: Josh Dix 27, Payton Sandfort 23, Brock Harding 11
• It was the fifth time this season the Hawkeyes have had multiple 20-point scorers.
• Dix netted 27 points on 10-of-16 shooting with three 3-point field goals.  It was the second-highest scoring output of his career.
  • It was Dix’s fourth 20 point game this season and the eighth of his career.
• Payton Sandfort finished with 23 points, six rebounds and five assists in the game, making 9-of-17 field goals with five 3-pointers – one off a season-high.
  • It was his team-leading ninth 20-point game of the season and the 27th of his career.
  • It is the eighth time in Sandfort’s career he has made at least five 3s.
• Iowa finished with 11 3-point field goals, making 11-of-30 attempts from long range.
  • The Hawkeyes have made 10+ 3-pointers in 12 games this season.
• It was just Iowa’s second loss this season when shooting at least 50 percent from the field (9-2).
• Sophomore Seydou Traore and junior Riley Mulvey made their first starts as Hawkeyes.
  • It was Mulvey’s first career start in his 41st career game.

UP NEXT
The Hawkeyes return to action Saturday, hosting No. 17 Wisconsin at noon inside Carver-Hawkeye Arena.