No. 4 Purdue Basketball Snaps 5-Game Drought Against Michigan, Wins 82-76
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — Despite star center Hunter Dickinson tying a career-high with 28 points, Purdue basketball fended off Michigan at Mackey Arena in a game it never trailed. The 82-76 victory was the team’s fifth straight and snapped a five-game losing skid to the Wolverines.
The No. 4-ranked Boilermakers were led by sophomore guard Jaden Ivey, who scored 23 points and registered seven assists. Senior Trevion Williams added 19 points and eight rebounds in his first victory over Michigan in four years at Purdue.
The win moves the Boilers to 20-3 on the year and 9-3 in the Big Ten.
"This is something we wanted to accomplish," Williams said. "Obviously, we don't want to separate Michigan from any other team in the Big Ten, but they're usually one of the bigger and better teams that everyone wants to beat.
"I've never beaten them. I've had great games in the past against them, I just never got the job done. You can score all those points, but if you don't win it doesn't mean anything. It means a lot to finally get that done."
It was a quiet start for the two highest scoring teams in Big Ten play, but Purdue erupted to its first double-digit lead with more than 13 minutes left in the first half, fueled by its ability to hit shots from the 3-point line. The Boilermakers started the game 4-7 from deep, and even Williams hit one from the top of the key.
His fourth 3-pointer of the season lifted the team to an early 11-point lead. Purdue looked to take control of the game as sophomore Jaden Ivey came away with back-to-back dunks that put Mackey Arena into a frenzy.
The 6-foot-4 guard scored just six points in the first half, but he clogged the lane and found his teammates for five assists in the first 20 minutes of play.
Dickinson answered with a pair of open looks from beyond the arc to cut into the deficit. His two 3-pointers brought the Wolverines to within just one point with 4:31 left to play in the opening half. He finished the game 2-3 from deep.
“Hunter Dickinson really kind of set the table for them with his ability to make 3s,” Purdue coach Matt Painter said. "He has nine 3s in his career, and if doesn't put his foot on the line he would've had four in the first half.
"He's tough. If he's making 3s — obviously he's great inside and the way he can pass — that's a real tough cover."
Dickinson led all scorers in the first half with 14 points, but Michigan failed to score in nearly three minutes to end the period. Purdue went into the break with a 39-33 lead, led by sophomore center Zach Edey’s team-high 11 points and six rebounds.
Williams scored nine points before halftime on an efficient 4-5 mark from the floor. But Purdue couldn't push the lead out before the second half as it missed its last seven shots from the 3-point line. However, the team wasn’t called for a single foul against Michigan in the first half.
In the second, Dickinson continued to cause problems for Purdue’s centers, scoring with a variety of jumpshots. He scored another 14 points in the final 20 minutes, but the Wolverines put up just 26 points in the paint, compared to the Boilermakers’ 44.
Ivey scored eight straight points for Purdue to keep the team in front, which included an explosive two-handed slam after racing right by Dickinson at the 3-point line. His scoring outburst was the start of a 10-0 run with under 17 minutes left to play.
"They tried to take us out of our rhythm with the press that they did," Ivey said. "And then they were in a zone most of the game. It was really all about patience. When I come off those ball screens, just being patient. And if I don't have anything, I have my teammates outside.
"We couldn't hit some shots today, but those were great looks and I know those are going to fall in the future."
Against Michigan's full court press defense, Purdue started to lose some of its composure. In the span of three minutes, the Boilermakers committed three turnovers. The team also registered 10 fouls in the second half, helping the Wolverines cut the lead to four points with nearly two minutes to play.
However, Michigan had four turnovers in the last five minutes, and Purdue ended the game making six straight shots from the foul line. The Boilermakers were 17-21 from the free-throw line as the Wolverines posted 17 fouls while giving the ball away 11 times.
The team will travel to Michigan for a second matchup between the two programs in the span of six days. Before the road trip, Purdue welcomes Illinois to Mackey Arena on Tuesday.
Stories Related to Purdue Basketball
- PURDUE, MICHIGAN LIVE BLOG: No. 4-ranked Purdue takes on Michigan at Mackey Arena on Saturday. Here is our live blog, follow the game in real time with updates and analysis as the Boilermakers look to snap a five-game losing streak to the Wolverines. CLICK HERE
- PURDUE REACHES 1,000 WINS IN REGULAR-SEASON BIG TEN PLAY: After an 82-76 victory against Michigan on Saturday at Mackey Arena, Purdue basketball improved to 20-3 during the 2021-22 season and 9-3 in Big Ten play. The win was the 1,000th in program history against conference opponents during the regular season. 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.