Gophers hang tough for a half, but fall to No. 20 Purdue

The Boilermakers dominated the second half en route to a 20-point victory Thursday night.

Purdue forward Caleb Furst shoots as Minnesota forward Parker Fox (23) defends during the second half at Williams Arena in Minneapolis on Jan. 2, 2025. / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Gophers men's basketball team gave No. 20 Purdue a run for its money. For a half anyways.

The Boilermakers outscored the Gophers by 19 points in the second half to pull away for a 81-61 victory Thursday night at Williams Arena in Minneapolis. Fletcher Loyer led the charge for Purdue with a game-high 24 points.

Minnesota (8-6, 0-3 Big Ten) battled in the first half, staying within a few points for the opening 20 minutes. The Boilermakers (10-4, 2-1) led just 28-27 at halftime, and it appeared as though the U had a prime chance at an upset.

But Purdue was in complete control in the second half. The team didn't have a single turnover while assisting on 12 of its 17 made shots. Fletcher scored 16 of his 24 points after the break. Braden Smith, who finished with 20 points, scored 17 after the half. Trey Kaufman-Renn scored nine of his 17 in the final 20 minutes of play. Purdue hit nine 3s in the final half.

Dawson Garcia had a big second half, too, scoring 14 of his team-high 20 points in the second frame. He also added five rebounds. Lu'Cye Patterson finished with 14 points and eight rebounds. Issac Asuma had seven points off the bench.

But ultimately, the Gophers couldn't keep pace with the top-20 Boilermakers. And they'll still be looking for their first Big Ten win when they host Ohio State at The Barn Monday night for an 8 p.m. tipoff.