Hoosiers Ride Championship Energy to Upset Win Over No. 12 Purdue
There’s something about rivalry games that brings out the best in college basketball - especially when the building is already buzzing with championship energy. That was the case last night in Bloomington, where Indiana pulled off a gritty 72-67 upset over No. 12 Purdue in front of a sold-out crowd at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall.
Before a single basketball was tipped, the Hoosiers football team took center stage, parading their newly-won National Championship trophy to the middle of the court. The roar from the home crowd was deafening.
Head football coach Curt Cignetti, mic in hand, addressed the fans with a heartfelt thank-you and a rallying cry: “Let’s have fun tonight! Go IU!”
It wasn’t just a celebration - it was a passing of the torch. And the basketball team took the message to heart.
Cignetti, seated courtside with his family, had the best seat in the house as Indiana (14-7) looked to ride the momentum against a Purdue squad (17-4) that had dropped two straight - tough ones against UCLA and Illinois. The Hoosiers, on the other hand, were coming off a strong road win over Rutgers and had the swagger to match. Add in the electric atmosphere, and you had the perfect recipe for a rivalry showdown that felt bigger than just another January matchup.
Early on, both teams traded punches. Indiana clung to a one-point lead with under six minutes left in the first half, but that’s when the Hoosiers found their rhythm.
It started with a Tucker DeVries three-pointer that lit the fuse on a 16-6 run to close the half. The momentum carried straight into the second, as Conor Enright opened the scoring with a deep three that sent the crowd right back into a frenzy.
The Hoosiers got a major second-half lift from junior transfer Nick Dorn, who came alive with back-to-back threes and chipped in 10 points after the break. His energy was contagious, and every bucket seemed to push Purdue further into desperation mode.
Still, the Boilermakers wouldn’t go quietly. Braden Smith sliced through the defense for a layup with 1:28 left to cut Indiana’s lead to 65-63. That’s when Enright stepped up again - this time drilling a massive three off a feed from DeVries to give Indiana the breathing room they desperately needed.
But Purdue had one more push in them. After trading buckets, freshman guard Jack Benter drove in for a layup to make it a one-possession game with just ten seconds left.
Enter Lamar Wilkerson.
Indiana’s leading scorer all season long, Wilkerson calmly knocked down two clutch free throws in the closing seconds to seal the deal. Game over. Upset complete.
The win wasn’t just about beating a ranked rival - it was about feeding off a winning culture that’s starting to take hold across Indiana athletics. With the football team’s championship glow still fresh, the basketball squad took the baton and ran with it, showing resilience, confidence, and a refusal to back down when the moment got tense.
This wasn’t just a big win. It was a statement. And with Assembly Hall rocking like it did last night, it’s clear the Hoosiers are playing with something extra right now - pride, belief, and maybe just a little bit of that championship DNA.