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#18 Purdue Wins Big Ten Tournament Title Over #3 Michigan#18 Purdue Wins Big Ten Tournament Title Over #3 Michigan

#18 Purdue Wins Big Ten Tournament Title Over #3 Michigan

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#18 Purdue 80, #3 Michigan 72 (Postgame Notes)

  • 7 seed Purdue won its third Big Ten Tournament championship, and second in four years, with an 80-72 win over top-seeded and No. 3-ranked Michigan.
  • The Boilermakers also won Big Ten Tournament titles in 2009 and 2023. Purdue is now 3-4 in Big Ten Tournament championship games, including 3-3 under Matt Painter.
  • The tournament title was the eighth Big Ten title for Matt Painter (5 regular season; 3 tournament).
  • Purdue became the first No. 7 seed to win the Big Ten Tournament. In fact, the Boilermakers were the first 7-seed to play in the title game.
  • Purdue improved to 27-8 on the season and finished the season with 11 quad-1 wins, the fifth most in the country.
  • Purdue snapped a three-game losing streak to the Wolverines.
  • Since the start of the 2022-23 season, Purdue has won 114 games, the fourth-most victories in the country.
  • Purdue trailed for just 8 minutes and 53 seconds in four Big Ten Tournament games, not trailing in the second half of any of the four games.
  • Both of Purdue’s last two Big Ten Tournament championships have come in Chicago. The Boilermakers have won seven straight games in the United Center.
  • Purdue improved to 15-3 away from Mackey Arena this season, including 7-0 in neutral-site games. According to BartTorvik.com, Purdue ranks as the second-best team in games played away from home (behind Duke) with the nation’s best offense and 12th-ranked defense.
  • Purdue took over the top spot in nationally in offensive efficiency via KenPom, scoring 1.36 points / possession against the nation’s top-ranked defense.
  • Purdue is 11-3 in the Big Ten Tournament over the last five seasons, the sixth-most wins nationally in conference tournament games.
  • Purdue seniors scored 69 of Purdue’s 80 points in the win over Michigan.
  • Braden Smith recorded his 27th career double-double with 14 points, 11 assists, five rebounds and three steals.
  • Smith dished out 46 assists in the four games in Chicago, the most assists for a player in the conference tournament in 30 years, eight ahead of the next closest player, Doug Gottlieb (38).
  • Smith now has 1,075 career assists, needing one to tie Bobby Hurley and two to pass him for the NCAA career assists mark.
  • Trey Kaufman-Renn and Oscar Cluff combined for 41 points on 17-of-26 (.654) from the field, adding eight rebounds and two assists.
  • Fletcher Loyer scored 14 points with five assists and four rebounds, making 3-of-4 from 3-point range. In the Big Ten Tournament, Loyer went 13-of-30 (.433) from 3-point range and he has made at least two 3-pointers in 15 straight games.

CHICAGO (AP) — Oscar Cluff scored 21 points, Trey Kaufman-Renn had 20 and No. 18 Purdue topped No. 3 Michigan 80-72 on Sunday for the Big Ten Tournament championship.

Braden Smith had 14 points, 11 assists and three steals as Purdue (27-8) added to an impressive turnaround after closing the regular season with four losses in six games. Fletcher Loyer made three 3-pointers and finished with 14 points.

The Boilermakers won the Big Ten Tournament for the first time since 2023 and third time overall. They lost to the Wolverines in the final in 1998 and 2018.

Yaxel Lendeborg scored 20 points for top-seeded Michigan (31-3), which beat Purdue 91-80 in their regular-season meeting on Feb. 17. Aday Mara had 17 points, seven rebounds and two blocked shots.

Wearing No. 41 after his No. 3 jersey ripped early in the game, Smith helped the Boilermakers seize control by deftly running the pick and roll with Kaufman-Renn in the second half. The senior point guard has 1,075 career assists, just one shy of Bobby Hurley’s NCAA record.

Two jumpers by Kaufman-Renn off passes from Smith powered Purdue to a 55-44 lead with 12:55 left. After Elliot Cadeau scored for Michigan, the 6-foot Smith drove inside, drew a foul on the 7-3 Mara and scored, drawing a big cheer from the Purdue fans in the crowd at the United Center.