No. 8 Purdue Basketball has Big Ten Title Hopes Crushed in 70-67 Loss to No. 10 Wisconsin
MADISON, Wis. — The goal of coming out on top in the Big Ten title chase was at the fingertips of No. 8 Purdue basketball. But in a must-win game on the road against No. 10 Wisconsin, the team could only watch as that goal slipped away from its grasp.
Jaden Ivey scored 17 points in the second half, including a go-ahead 3-pointer to tie the game in the final minute. But enough time remained for Wisconsin’s Chucky Hepburn to race down the floor and bank a shot of the glass from beyond the arc with 1.5 seconds left.
Purdue never had another chance to equalize, losing 70-67 on Tuesday night at the Kohl Center. The team fell to 24-6 on the season and 13-6 in conference play.
“Honestly, it’s tough to know that we had a couple of games come down to the end, and they had buzzer-beaters to put them up,” Ivey said. “It’s not the first time this has happened, so it’s always tough.”
Ivey led all scorers with 22 points and recorded five assists. He was 8-15 from the field, including two 3-pointers in the second half, but the sophomore guard was also 3-9 from the free-throw line.
Wisconsin was led by junior forward Tyler Wahl’s 19 points. Hepburn hit four 3-pointers, including the game-winner, for a career-high scoring total of 17.
“In terms of what we did at the end of the game, I wouldn’t trade anything,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said.
After making just one 3-pointer in Saturday’s loss to Michigan State, Purdue found a rhythm from beyond the arc early on. Senior guard Sasha Stefanovic made three shots from the 3-point line in the first half, putting the team up by as many as six points.
But just as quickly the offense sparked, it began to fizzle away. The Boilermakers finished the half shooting 36% from the field, including 4-13 from the 3-point line and 3-8 on free-throw attempts.
Hepburn took advantage for Wisconsin, sinking back-to-back 3-pointers to ignite an 8-0 run. The Badgers took a 16-14 lead with 13:16 remaining in the first half.
“I think just the little things of a game add up when it’s a tight game and when you’re playing a great opponent like them,” Stefanovic said. “You wish you had a lot of opportunities back. We're going to go watch the film and look back on the game. There are a lot of possessions, a lot of things you wish went a different way, but it’s basketball. It’s life, you just gotta move on.”
Purdue kept it close until the final minutes of the period. With under five minutes left before halftime, Wisconsin used a 10-0 run to take an eight-point lead before senior guard Eric Hunter Jr. nailed a 3-pointer from the left corner.
The Boilermakers failed to score for more than four minutes until Hunter’s deep shot, turning the ball over three times in that span. The Badgers took a 33-28 lead into the locker room at the break.
Ivey managed to score five points for Purdue on 2-6 shooting, but the star guard missed all four of his free-throw attempts and was credited with three turnovers before the second half.
The Boilermakers quickly got back to within one to start the second half with a Mason Gillis 3-pointer followed by Edey knocking securing a three-point play after a foul. Both both players soon picked up their third fouls of the game, sending them to the bench.
The Badgers would retaliate with back-to-back 3-pointers before sophomore guard Johnny Davis drilled a midrange jumper. Davis scored 10 of his 16 points in the second half.
Wisconsin led by as many as 11 points before stalling on the offensive end of the floor. Purdue would use a 14-2 go up 53-52, its first lead of the second half, with 7:42 left to play. Ivey and Edey were the only two scorers during the swing.
“I thought we just did a good job of getting some stops, getting some easy buckets,” Stefanovic said. “I thought Zach played pretty well in the second half, so did Jaden. They just got some good, easy looks — got to the rim. They really stepped up their game.”
The sophomore duo combined for 31 points after halftime. But their dominance couldn’t overcome a pair of contested shots that banked off the glass in the final minute of play. Davis nailed a deep shot with his foot on the 3-point line to give the Badgers a three-point lead.
Ivey’s last 3-pointer to make things even looked to send the game into overtime, barring one final shot by Wisconsin. And that shot somehow found its way to the bottom of the net. Instead of playing in overtime, Purdue watched as fans stormed the court under red and white confetti.
The team won’t have a chance to claim a Big Ten championship when in-state rival Indiana comes to Mackey Arena on Saturday. But there are still goals that aren’t out of reach just yet.
“I think we can use this as a learning lesson to be better down the road in the NCAA Tournament,” Ivey said. “Obviously, we fell short and didn’t accomplish a goal of ours to win a Big Ten championship. Our goal is still to win a national championship, so we’ve got a lot to look forward to.”
Stories Related to Purdue Basketball
- PURDUE, WISCONSIN LIVE BLOG: Purdue basketball looked to avenge its only home loss of the season against Wisconsin on the road Tuesday at the Kohl Center. It was a must-win game for the Boilermakers, one with huge Big Ten title implications at stake. CLICK HERE
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