Purdue Steals a Win in Madison
Madison, WI — The Badgers of Wisconsin are welcoming in Big-Ten rival, the Purdue Boilermakers into their home court. Both squads are ranked inside the top 10 of the AP poll as this is the first of two games, they will play against each other this season. AJ Storr, a transfer from St. Johns, has done wonders for this Badgers offense in his first season with the team. He is averaging 16.5 points per game this season, leading the team in this category and Purdue limited him to only 14 points. There’s no denying that Zach Edey is a dominant force on both ends of the court. The 7 '4 300-pounder is a rebounding machine, averaging 23.4 points per game and 11.6 rebounds a game, he is literally a walking double-double. The mountain of a man took command in this game which made life difficult for the Badgers. This intense matchup resulted in a huge resume-builder win for the Purdue Boilermakers.
It was obvious this game would be extremely competitive as Purdue is ranked number two and Wisconsin is ranked number six in the country. Braden Smith, point guard for the Boilermakers, was accidentally poked in his right eye around the 16-minute mark in the first half. This was something to keep an eye on as it could affect his play. This incident only lit a fire in his system as he scored 11 points in the first half, leading all scorers. The majority of viewers predicted Zach Edey would dominate the game, but he looked lackadaisical during the first half. The Purdue guards dictated the speed of the game and scored a combined 25 out of the first 34 points of the game for Purdue.
Wisconsin was not out of the running after the first half by any means. With the score being 34-32 in favor of Purdue to end the half, Wisconsin was in good shape to create the upset. Wisconsin’s offensive is unique. There is a lot of commotion and not a lot of plays pre-called. They set lots of screens and a ton of ball movement to try and find the open man. With lots of missed chances around the rim due to the mountain of Zach Edey, the Badgers are looking for a stronger second half from that area. The free throw difference is also another key aspect of the game the Boilermakers dominated in. Purdue went nine for ten from the line while the Badgers only went one for two.
Purdue came out on fire to start the second half. Lance Jones was hitting three-point attempts from deep, and Zach Edey was dominating the offensive glass creating a multitude of second-chance points. In total, Purdue grabbed 14 offensive rebounds which equated to 21 second-chance points. That was a major difference in the game which resulted in a Boilermaker win. Braden Smith and Fletcher Loyer were also key on the defensive side of the ball. Holding Chuckey Hepburn and Max Klesmit to a combined 16 points was crucial in limiting the Badger offense.
However, Tyler Wahl was the spark the Badgers needed to get going. He finished with 20 points, seven rebounds, and five assists. He also generated numerous hustle plays that won’t show up on the box score. His intensity sparked the Badgers down the stretch as they almost came away with the win. Unfortunately for Wisconsin, it wasn’t enough to pull off the upset. As a team, Wisconsin shot three for 19 from three-point range, which is not a nearly high enough percentage to gain the edge in that stat. Purdue was simply playing defense too well and shooting more free throws which resulted in a six-point victory, 75-69.
