Purdue didn’t just win on the road Saturday-they sent a message. The Boilermakers rolled into Iowa City and put on a clinic, dismantling the Hawkeyes 78-57 in a game that showcased their depth, discipline, and dominance on both ends of the floor.
From the jump, Purdue looked locked in. They took a 36-25 lead into halftime, then came out of the locker room firing.
An 11-2 run to open the second half blew the game wide open, and Iowa never recovered. At one point, the Boilermakers were up by as many as 27-58-31 with 12 minutes still to play.
That’s not just a win, that’s a statement.
Balanced Attack, Bench Boost
C.J. Cox and Gicarri Harris led the way with 14 points each, but this wasn’t a one- or two-man show.
Trey Kaufman-Renn put together a gritty double-double-12 points and 12 rebounds-while Fletcher Loyer chipped in 12 points of his own. Braden Smith didn’t light up the scoreboard, but his floor game was elite: five points, 12 assists, and just one turnover.
That’s the kind of point guard play that makes coaches sleep easy.
And then there was the bench-Purdue’s second unit didn’t just hold the line, they shifted the momentum. Harris did most of his damage early, dropping 12 of his 14 points in the first half.
Daniel Jacobsen gave them quality minutes with six points, four boards, and three blocks. Omer Mayer added six points, and Jack Benter knocked down five.
All told, Purdue’s bench outscored Iowa’s 31-18. That kind of depth is what separates good teams from great ones in February.
Efficiency and Effort
Purdue’s offensive execution was sharp all night. The Boilermakers racked up 20 assists to just five turnovers-a 4-to-1 ratio that speaks to their chemistry and control.
They also won the rebounding battle 38-30, which translated into a 15-8 edge in second-chance points. That’s hustle, plain and simple.
And when it came to transition, Purdue ran Iowa off the floor. They outscored the Hawkeyes 13-2 in fast break points, turning defense into easy offense and keeping Iowa on their heels.
Turning the Corner
This win marks Purdue’s fourth straight after a brief three-game skid, and it moves them to 21-4 overall and 10-3 in Big Ten play. They’re trending in the right direction at exactly the right time. Meanwhile, Iowa drops to 18-7 overall and 8-6 in the conference.
Bennett Stirtz led the Hawkeyes with 19 points, but it wasn’t nearly enough to keep pace with a Purdue team firing on all cylinders.
This is the kind of performance that reminds you why Purdue is in the national conversation. They’re deep, they’re disciplined, and when they’re clicking like this, they’re flat-out dangerous.