Caleb McConnell, Clifford Omoruyi Speak on Upcoming Rematch Against Purdue
CHICAGO — After suffering its first loss of the season, Purdue basketball head coach Matt Painter said if he was going to war, he would stop in New Jersey to pick up players at Rutgers.
The Scarlet Knights came to Mackey Arena on Jan. 2 and held the Boilermakers — who were 13-0 at the time — to just 39.6 percent from the field, including 6-of-25 in the first half to escape West Lafayette with a 65-64 victory.
The two teams will meet again in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament on Friday at noon ET inside the United Center in Chicago. Rutgers defeated Michigan 62-50 on Thursday in the second round to advance.
After the win, the team was asked about getting another shot to take down Purdue, a feat that it has accomplished five times in the last six contests.
"Matt Painter is a great coach, they're a great team right now, and they also have things rolling," Rutgers fifth-year guard Caleb McConnell said. "I feel like we're going to come up with a great game plan, the same thing we did last time. We just stick to the game plan, and I feel like we'll do a great job."
In the first meeting of the season, Zach Edey fought through foul trouble to start the game, and the Boilermakers trailed 34-24 going into the second half. The 7-foot-4 junior center still managed to score a team-high 19 points but finished just 6-of-10 from the field with three turnovers.
The Scarlet Knights had 18 points off 13 Purdue turnovers in the matchup, and three of their players scored in double figures. Senior guard Paul Mulcahy led the way with 16 points to go along with eight rebounds and six assists.
Fellow senior guard Cam Spencer posted 14 points, including what ended up being the game-winning 3-pointer with 13 seconds left to play. Junior center Cliff Omoruyi logged 12 in his matchup against Edey.
"The last time we beat them as a team," Omoruyi said. "Like my guys did, deflect the passes. Just have to keep them out of the paint. In order to get this W, we have to play as a team. We're going to do that tomorrow."
-----
Related Stories on Purdue Basketball
- 2023 Big Ten Men's Basketball Tournament Schedule: The 2023 Big Ten men's basketball tournament is scheduled for Wednesday through Sunday at the United Center in Chicago. Here's the full schedule, with game times, TV information and updates on the results. CLICK HERE
- Purdue to Play Rutgers in Big Ten Tournament Quarterfinals: Rutgers defeated Michigan 62-50 on Thursday in the second round of the 2023 Big Ten Tournament, advancing to a quarterfinal matchup with Purdue. The Boilermakers lost to the Scarlet Knights at home during the regular season. CLICK HERE
- Trey Kaufman-Renn Seeing Patience Pay Off: Purdue redshirt freshman forward Trey Kaufman-Renn combined for 26 points on 8-of-11 shooting in the team's final four games of the regular season. After struggling to find consistency in Big Ten play, he's hitting his stride at the perfect time. CLICK HERE
- Purdue Coach Matt Painter Previews Big Ten Tournament: Purdue basketball will play the winner of a matchup between Michigan and Rutgers on Friday in the quarterfinals of the 2023 Big Ten Tournament in Chicago. The Boilermakers have a double-bye and will take advantage with two extra days of preparation. CLICK HERE
-----
Keep up to date on everything at BoilermakersCountry.com by liking and following our Facebook page: Purdue Boilermakers on Sports Illustrated/FanNation.
