Purdue had real chances Monday night in Las Vegas, but No. 15 Gonzaga did just enough to leave with a 78-72 win in the Hall of Fame Series opener. Matt Painter’s team opens the season 0-1 after a game that swung on foul trouble, free throws and a few missed opportunities late.
Daniel Jacobsen was the biggest bright spot for Purdue. The 7-foot-4 center looked like the player Painter had been talking up all offseason, finishing with 22 points and seven rebounds while going 9 of 11 from the field and 4 of 5 at the line. He was a force in the paint and gave Gonzaga’s bigs problems throughout the night.
His impact wasn’t limited to scoring. Jacobsen’s length bothered Gonzaga around the rim, especially in the first half, even though he was credited with just one block.
But his foul situation changed the flow of the game. A few unnecessary fouls sent him to the bench early, and after he picked up his fourth, Gonzaga answered with a 10-2 run to push the lead to nine.
It wasn’t the whole story, but it mattered.
Purdue also showed flashes of what Painter wants offensively. Early on, the ball moved well, screens were set with purpose and the Boilermakers generated quality looks.
The problem was that the rhythm didn’t last. In the second half, there were stretches where Purdue held the ball too long and settled for difficult jumpers instead of keeping the offense moving.
Some of that came when Jacobsen was off the floor and the post game wasn’t as clean.
The Boilermakers also have work to do on the defensive end, particularly when it comes to staying out of foul trouble. Gonzaga got to the line 34 times and made 26 free throws, with all but four of those attempts coming after halftime. Purdue’s defense got sloppier as the game wore on, with too much reaching and too many players leaving their feet.
Still, this wasn’t a game Purdue simply backed into losing. The Boilermakers shot 47.3% overall and stayed within striking distance despite a rough night from deep. They finished 5 of 21 from three-point range and made just one three in the second half, which made the margin for error razor thin.
The guards kept feeding Jacobsen inside when the perimeter shots weren’t falling, and Purdue didn’t start forcing threes until late in the game. That patience helped keep the Boilermakers alive.
And even when Gonzaga looked ready to pull away, Purdue kept fighting. Down 11 with 5:50 left, the Boilermakers suddenly made things interesting.
Gicarri Harris hit a four-point play, Jacobsen drew a foul, and the lead was trimmed to five. Purdue eventually got within two at 68-66 before running out of gas.
Harris finished with eight points, while C.J. Cox scored 11, Antione West Jr. added 10 off the bench, and Omer Mayer also had eight.
Gonzaga was led by Davis Fogle’s 22 points, despite a 6-of-18 shooting night. Xaivian Lee added 18, Izan Almansa had 11 and Braden Huff chipped in 10.
Purdue also held its own on the glass and in the turnover battle, losing the rebounding edge by just three, 34-31, while finishing even in turnovers. In the end, the difference came down to a few missed shots and Gonzaga’s ability to get to the foul line.
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