Boilermakers Country

Purdue Basketball's Offensive Efficiency, Versatility Shines Against Rutgers

Purdue basketball had five players score in double figures in a victory against Rutgers on Sunday. The team posted 19 assists in the contest and were led by sophomore guard Jaden Ivey's 25 points.

D.J. Fezler

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Offensive efficiency is the driving force for Purdue basketball. The team is second in the Big Ten in scoring while leading the conference in both overall field goal percentage and 3-point percentage. 

Purdue didn't quite shut down Rutgers on Sunday at Mackey Arena, but the team posted a complete offensive performance. Dominant play in the paint, effective shots on the perimeter and unselfish passing all contributed to an 84-72 win at home. 

And when the athleticism and aggressiveness of star guard Jaden Ivey take him to the free-throw line 18 times in a game, there's no telling how high the score can get for the Boilermakers. 

"I felt like we just made the right reads," Ivey said. "We were poised from the get-go, and we just got in a rhythm offensively. Obviously, I feel like we did a better job on defense, but we still got more room for improvement." 

Ivey, who hasn't shot particularly well in Purdue's recent stretch of contests, missed all five of his shots from the 3-point line against Rutgers. He's only made two shots from beyond the arc in the last four games. 

But that's hardly a problem when Ivey is attacking the basket, limiting his turnovers and getting teammates involved. He posted four assists in the first half Sunday, including two that resulted in wide-open 3-pointers. 

Not to mention, Ivey still led all scorers with 25 points on just 5-11 shooting. 

The Boilermakers opened the game by making six of their first nine shots from deep. Senior guard Sasha Stefanovic made a pair of back-to-back shots in the first two minutes of play. 

Sophomore forward Mason Gillis also knocked down two 3-pointers and junior guard Isaiah Thompson added another. Even senior center Trevion Williams put a deep shot through the basket from the top of the key. 

"Just having balance," Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "Having balance driving the basketball, being able to make enough threes. We had some open ones you like to see go down, but 8-for-22 is not bad. Just keep trying to execute."

Without an overwhelming performance from the 3-point line, Purdue found ways to get Williams and sophomore center Zach Edey opportunities underneath the basket. 

The duo combined for 26 points on 10-14 shooting while also recording seven total assists. Edey didn't have a single turnover in 19 minutes on the floor. Collectively, the Boilermakers recorded 19 assists on 26 made shots. 

"Just trying to be patient," Williams said. "A lot of teams know that me and Zach, when you leave us one-on-one, there's a very high chance we're going to score. It's all about making the defense make a decision. 

"You're either going to play us one-on-one, or you're going to sink in and we're going to kick it out to our shooters. I think in that aspect, we make a lot of teams make decisions." 

Williams found his groove early in the first half, where he scored all 11 of his points by making his first five shots from the field. 

A 3-pointer for the 6-foot-10 big man has been a rare sight this season. But Williams also showcased his improved ball-handling by creating separation and drilling a rhythm mid-range jumper off the dribble. 

"You prepare for everything," Williams said. "When I came up training, I always told myself not to be one-dimensional. Don't settle to be just a post player. When I go in the gym, I always work on different things. You just never know, but I have that there. I do work on it.

"I try to get in and work on it when I can. You just prepare for anything. Every team we're going to play, we're going to get their best shot, so you have to be prepared. You gotta pull some stuff out of the bag sometimes." 

The Boilermakers scored a total of 32 points in the paint against the Scarlet Knights, notched a 27-25 rebounding advantage and only turned the ball over seven times. 

When Purdue suffered its first loss of the season against Rutgers in Piscataway, New Jersey, it shot just 41% from the field and could only muster 10 assists. On Sunday, it was a full team performance that featured five players scoring in double figures. 

Even with a defense that's been lackluster this season, at times, it just hasn't mattered. The boilermakers will continue to live and die by its offense, and there aren't any teams in college basketball that are more efficient in that aspect. 

"We outrebounded them and had fewer turnovers than them at their place and still lost," Painter said. "Tonight, again, we outrebounded them and had fewer turnovers. We keep doing that, you're going to give yourself a chance. It helps when you can make some shots. We obviously made enough tonight." 

Stories Related to Purdue Basketball

  • PURDUE RANKED FOURTH IN AP POLL: Victories over Northwestern and Rutgers pushed Purdue to the No. 4 ranking in this week's AP College Basketball Top 25 poll. The Boilermakers have a 24-4 overall record and are 13-4 in the Big Ten. CLICK HERE 
  • PURDUE RETAKES BIG TEN LEAD WITH WIN OVER RUTGERS: No. 5 Purdue was the first Big Ten team to get to 13 league wins on Sunday, knocking off red-hot Rutgers 84-72 at Mackey Arena to move a half-game ahead of Illinois and Wisconsin in the league standings with three games to go. CLICK HERE
  • JADEN IVEY SHOWS AGGRESSIVENESS: Purdue sophomore guard Jaden Ivey scored a team-high 25 points in an 84-72 victory over Rutgers on Sunday at Mackey Arena. He was 15-of-18 from the free-throw line and threw down a highlight-reel dunk to help the Boilermakers snap the Scarlet Knight's four-game winning streak. CLICK HERE
  • TIPOFF TIME ANNOUNCED FOR GAME AGAINST MICHIGAN STATE: Purdue basketball will tip off against Michigan State on the road Saturday, Feb. 26, at noon ET, and the game will be aired live on ESPN. The matchup marks the start of a three-game stretch to end the regular season for the Boilermaker. CLICK HERE

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D.J. Fezler
D.J. FEZLER

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. 

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