PHOTO GALLERY: The Best Photos From Purdue's Road Game Against Ohio State
COLUMBUS, Ohio — After suffering its first loss of the season, No. 1 Purdue basketball went to Value City Arena in Columbus, Ohio, for a road matchup with No. 24 Ohio State on Thursday night. The Boilermakers got back in the win column as freshman guard Fletcher Loyer drilled a 3-pointer with 11 seconds left to play, securing a 71-69 victory.
Loyer, who started 0-of-6 from the floor and had four turnovers in the first half, did not start after halftime. Senior guard David Jenkins Jr. got the nod after knocking down a pair of 3-pointers in the opening period. He finished with nine points to go along with two assists and no turnovers on the night.
"He's very confident in himself," Purdue coach Matt Painter said of Loyer. "Guys like that want the ball in their hands. We thought David Jenkins and Mason [Gillis] really gave us a spark in the first half, so we rewarded that by starting them."
Purdue's scoring efforts were led by freshman guard Braden Smith and junior center Zach Edey, who each logged 16 points in the matchup. However, the team struggled to defend Ohio State freshman forward Brice Sensabaugh, who finished with a game-high 21 points on 10-of-17 shooting.
The largest lead of the contest for the Boilermakers was just six points, which came off a 10-0 run in the second half. Neither team led by more than four points in the final 13 minutes of play, and Purdue erased a two-score deficit in the final 30 seconds to escape with a critical Big Ten win away from home.
Photo Gallery: No. 1 Purdue 71, No. 24 Ohio State 69
Zach Edey, Mason Gillis
Ohio State Buckeyes forward Justice Sueing (14) shoots over Purdue Boilermakers forward Mason Gillis (0) and center Zach Edey (15).
Fletcher Loyer
Purdue Boilermakers guard Fletcher Loyer (2) hits the game-winning 3-pointer over Ohio State Buckeyes guard Isaac Likekele (13).
Purdue on defense
Ohio State Buckeyes forward Justice Sueing (14) drives toward Purdue Boilermakers forward Mason Gillis (0).
Fletcher Loyer, Ethan Morton
Purdue Boilermakers guard Ethan Morton (25) hugs guard Fletcher Loyer (2) following their 71-69 win over the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Purdue on defense
Ohio State Buckeyes forward Brice Sensabaugh (10) is defended by Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) in the final seconds of the second half.
Purdue bench
The Purdue Boilermakers bench reacts to guard Fletcher Loyer (2) hitting the game-winning 3-pointer.
Zach Edey
Ohio State Buckeyes forward Justice Sueing (14) and center Felix Okpara (34) defend Purdue Boilermakers center Zach Edey (15).
Matt Painter
Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter reacts during the second half.
David Jenkins Jr.
Purdue Boilermakers guard David Jenkins Jr. (14) celebrates the win against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Fletcher Loyer, Ethan Morton
Purdue Boilermakers guard Ethan Morton (right) and guard Fletcher Loyer celebrate the win against the Ohio State Buckeyes.
Matt Painter
Purdue Boilermakers head coach Matt Painter smiles during the first half.
Fletcher Loyer
Ohio State Buckeyes forward Brice Sensabaugh (10) brings the ball up court toward Purdue Boilermakers guard Fletcher Loyer (2).
David Jenkins Jr.
Purdue Boilermakers guard David Jenkins Jr. (14) drives past Ohio State Buckeyes guard Isaac Likekele (13).
Braden Smith
Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) drives past Ohio State Buckeyes forward Justice Sueing (14).
Ethan Morton, Zach Edey
Purdue Boilermakers guard Ethan Morton (25) reacts to an offensive foul call against Ohio State Buckeyes during the second half.
Related stories on Purdue basketball
- Kevin Durant Reacts to Purdue's Win Over Ohio State: Brooklyn Nets superstar Kevin Durant reacted to Purdue basketball's 71-69 win over Ohio State on Twitter. The Boilermakers defeated the Buckeyes on the road on a 3-pointer in the final minute of play. CLICK HERE
- Purdue Edges Ohio State on Late 3-Pointer: Purdue freshman guard Fletcher Loyer scored all 11 of his points in the second half, including the game-winning 3-pointer to take down Ohio State on the road. The Boilermakers finished the game with a season-high 13 made shots from deep. CLICK HERE
- Purdue, Ohio State Live Blog: Purdue basketball hit the road for a matchup with No. 24 Ohio State on Thursday night at Value City Arena. Relive the action from our live blog. CLICK HERE
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D.J. Fezler is a staff writer for BoilermakersCountry.com. Hailing from The Region, he is from Cedar Lake in Northwest Indiana and has spent the last two years covering Purdue football and basketball.