Purdue's Bench Plays Critical Role in Fending Off Iowa to Stay Undefeated in Big Ten
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WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Fifth-ranked Purdue trailed Iowa 48-39 with 14:35 to play in the second half when Gicarri Harris checked into the game. Struggling to stop the Hawkeyes on the defensive end, coach Matt Painter was looking for someone to provide a spark.
Less than two minutes after subbing into the game, Harris recorded a steal that resulted in a Daniel Jacobsen putback to slice the Iowa lead to just three points at 48-45. A little over a minute later, the sophomore guard was responsible for a second steal, this time leading to a bucket by Fletcher Loyer to make the score 50-47.
At a time when Purdue failed to string together stops, Harris gave the Boilermakers a boost. And then, perhaps his most memorable play of the night came at the 6:57 mark. Immediately after Iowa's Kael Combs hit a three-ball to put the Hawkeyes ahead 61-59, Harris knocked down a three-pointer of his own to put his team back in front.
Purdue never trailed after that.
"G made that big three in the second half. I thought that was huge," coach Matt Painter said. "It's hard to make some shots when you're not getting a lot, when your volume is low. He had active hands, got a couple of steals."
Harris was a bit of a quiet hero on Wednesday night, but he was part of a bench mob that propelled Purdue to a 79-72 win over the Hawkeyes, staying undefeated in Big Ten play (6-0).
The Boilermakers needed the aid of their bench early. At the 12:51 mark of the first half, Trey Kaufman-Renn picked up his second foul, which resulted in Jack Benter checking into the game. Then, with 8:01 to play, Oscar Cluff was charged with his second foul, bringing Daniel Jacobsen into the game.
Both were prepared for their moments. Benter knocked down a pair of threes on back-to-back possessions, giving Purdue an early 24-23 lead in the first half. Jacobsen provided his team with a boost on the glass, ending the half with seven rebounds to go along with five points.
With Kaufman-Renn and Cluff stapled to the bench with foul trouble and Braden Smith going scoreless in the first 20 minutes, the contributions from Benter and Jacobsen were critical, even though Purdue trailed Iowa 34-31 at the break.
"JB sticking those two threes and Daniel getting seven rebounds really helped us," Painter said. "That's what you have to have, you have to be able to have depth where other guys step up."
Each of Purdue's four bench players made an impact on Wednesday night's win. Jacobsen ended the game with seven points and nine rebounds, Benter had six points, and two assists, Mayer had five points and Harris had the late go-ahead three-pointer and a pair of steals.
All of those contributions came at significant moments, but Harris's play in the second half stood out. At a critical juncture in the game, the sophomore came off the bench and provided the Boilermakers with a shot in the arm, and it started on the defensive end.
"Every time I got a steal or forced a turnover, I feel like everyone in the crowd and all my teammates got hyped," Harris said. "That definitely helped our offense. That shot in the second half, I knew it was good — I think it was the basketball gods rewarding me. But this isn't just one time, I have to keep doing it the rest of the season."
Purdue's bench bounces back
As a unit, Purdue's bench finished the game with 21 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, two steals, and a blocked shot. It was a major positive after the Penn State game, a contest in which the Boilermakers' reserves struggled.
Purdue got the 93-85 victory over the Nittany Lions, but it finished the game with just four bench points. The quartet also had just five rebounds and two assists. It was an uncharacteristic performance.
Part of that had to do with the play of Purdue's starters. Four of the five scored in double figures, with Smith and Cluff leading the way with 26 and 23 points, respectively. Everyone played at least 26 minutes, with Smith, Cluff, and Loyer all logging 30-plus minutes.
That meant Purdue's bench didn't get as much run against the Nittany Lions, likely the biggest hindrance to their production.
To see that group bounce back on Wednesday after playing limited minutes and getting minimal production on Saturday is a positive for the Boilermakers. It shows all four of those guys have short memories and remain ready when their name is called.
Purdue needed each and every one of them on Wednesday night to beat Iowa.
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THOUGHTS FROM PURDUE'S WIN OVER IOWA: Iowa gave No. 5 Purdue on its home court on Wednesday night, but the Boilermakers pulled through. Here are a few quick thoughts from the 79-72 victory. CLICK HERE
Dustin Schutte is the publisher of Purdue Boilermakers on SI and has spent more than a decade working in sports journalism. His career began in 2013, when he covered Big Ten football. He remained in that role for eight years before working at On SI to cover the Boilermakers. Dustin graduated from Manchester University in Indiana in 2010, where he played for the men's tennis team.
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