Looking to extend their three-game winning streak, Wisconsin went on the road to face Purdue at Mackey Arena. They weren’t fazed at all in a high-energy matchup between two top-25 teams, proving their composure as the game progressed. They dominated in the second half to secure the win.
Purdue looked strong for a top-10 team in the first half, leading for most of the way with a balanced team effort. Forward Trey Kaufman-Renn contributed nine points, while guard Fletcher Loyer added 10 of his 15 points before halftime.
Wisconsin also played a strong first half. Guard John Tonje scored 10 points in the first 20 minutes, but he wasn’t their only scoring option. Forward Nolan Winter and guard Max Klesmit added eight and seven points, respectively. All Wisconsin needed to do was stay within striking distance on the road—and they did just that. Purdue held a narrow 37-36 lead at halftime in a tightly contested game.
The second half was defined by Purdue’s defense—or lack thereof.
The game remained close early in the half, but the momentum shifted with Purdue leading 60-57. That’s when the floodgates opened. The Badgers went on an 11-0 run, with John Tonje scoring eight of those points. That was all Wisconsin needed to take control. They never trailed again and secured a double-digit victory.
Before this game, the Boilermakers had allowed 50 or more points in a half only once, which came against the Yale Bulldogs. This season, Yale leads the Ivy League with a 15-6 record.
The Boilermakers are currently projected as a No. 2 seed in the tournament, with their only ‘bad loss’ coming against a .500 Penn State team. That 81-70 defeat led to a rough stretch where they dropped two of their next three games. They can’t afford a similar slump at this stage of the season with March approaching.
As things stand, Purdue is expected to face No. 15 seed Cleveland State in the first round.
However, they struggled to contain No. 16 Wisconsin in the second half. Despite this loss to the Badgers, their seeding shouldn’t take a significant hit—they will remain in the top 16.
The concern with this loss is that Purdue now faces a tough matchup against Michigan State next week. They have already dropped two straight games to top-25 teams, and a loss to No. 11 seed Michigan State could raise some red flags. It would mark their first three-game losing streak of the season.
Following the Michigan State game, Purdue takes on Indiana. While Indiana hasn’t had a great season, that doesn’t mean they can’t pull off an upset. The Hoosiers have been playing tougher lately, keeping their recent games close and losing by just a few possessions.
Purdue needs to bounce back from two straight losses if they want to hold onto their No. 2 seed in the bracket. Meanwhile, Michigan State is coming off a strong finish, closing their last game on a 15-0 run, and will be ready for the challenge.
The Boilermakers’ defense was nonexistent in the second half, and they’ll need to step up next week on the road against Michigan State. This losing streak will likely knock them out of the top 10 and could impact their seeding if they fall to the Spartans.
Can Purdue right the ship and snap their skid? Michigan State will certainly look to capitalize on Purdue’s defensive struggles. The Boilermakers must respond and tighten up defensively to avoid major concerns as the tournament approaches.
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