In a tough night for Indiana, the Hoosiers found themselves overwhelmed by the Boilermakers, who flipped the narrative from their previous meeting. Purdue's 93-64 victory was fueled by standout performances and impeccable shooting.
Fletcher Loyer, previously struggling, was flawless tonight. He nailed every shot he took, going 5-of-5 from the floor, including 4-of-4 from beyond the arc, and added four perfect free throws for 18 points.
Meanwhile, Braden Smith, who had been contained in their last encounter, found his rhythm early. Despite Conor Enright's best efforts, Smith orchestrated Purdue's offense with precision, finishing with 15 points and eight assists.
Omer Mayer, who had a quiet game in Bloomington, erupted in the second half, hitting all five of his attempts, four of them from deep, to notch a career-high 18 points. Each of Mayer's shots seemed to electrify Mackey Arena even more.
Trey Kaufman-Renn also made his presence felt with 20 points on an efficient 8-of-10 shooting night. Purdue's offense was firing on all cylinders, scoring 1.46 points per possession, their second-best performance of the season. They shot a blistering 55.6% from three-point range and boasted an effective field goal percentage of 75%.
On the other hand, Indiana struggled defensively, allowing their highest points per possession this season. The Hoosiers couldn't disrupt Purdue's flow, and the Boilermakers capitalized on every opportunity.
Despite the loss, Tayton Conerway shone for Indiana. With increased playing time due to Enright's foul trouble, Conerway attacked the basket effectively, scoring 12 points and dishing out seven assists. Lamar Wilkerson, after a quiet first half, found his stride in the second, scoring a team-high 20 points.
This defeat marks Indiana's third road loss by 20 or more points in conference play, with previous setbacks against Michigan State and Illinois. However, the Hoosiers still have a path to the NCAA tournament, though they need to regroup quickly.
Indiana will need to shake off this loss and focus on the games ahead, with their tournament hopes still very much alive.