Purdue Boilermakers Dominate, Advance in Big Ten Tournament

0:00On March 13, Purdue men's basketball grab a solid win in the Big Ten Tournament, beating Northwestern 81-68 on Thursday. The 7th seed Boilermakers advanced to the quarterfinals with their second victory over the Wildcats in just two weeks. This sets up a Friday rematch against the 2nd seed Nebraska Cornhuskers at the United Center in Chicago. The Boilermakers dominated early with strong front-core play out-rebounding Northwestern 2010 in the first half alone. Center Oscar Kluff and forward Trey Kaufman-Ren stepped up Big, fueling 9 of Purdue's first 11 points. Garb Brayden Smith shone brightest, dishing out 16 assists to tie a Big Ten Tournament single-game record. Fans and analysts praised Purdue's connected defense and offensive efficiency, especially against the tired Northwestern team playing their third game. In three days, Smith handled traps better than in their last meeting, setting up teammates for easy buckets. One highlight saw him dive out of bounds to tip a loose ball the length of the court for a score.

1:04A few areas need work, like finishing around the rim for some young big men and containing Northwestern's Nick Martinelli. Still, the rested Boilermakers smelled weakness and pounced, building a lead that never slipped. Now Purdue eyes than Nebraska rematch, where they rallied in overtime back in mid-February. Replicate the rebounding edge and improve three-point shooting and a semi-final spot looks within reach as they build momentum for the NCAA Tournament.