michigan vs purdue: No. 1 Michigan Downs Boilermakers 91-80 at Mackey Arena
Tuesday, February 17, 2026 | 6: 30 p. m. ET — No. 1 Michigan used a dominant first half and steady second-half execution to beat No. 7 Purdue 91-80 at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette. The Wolverines pushed their record to 25-1 (15-1 Big Ten) while the Boilermakers fell to 21-5 (11-4).
Michigan builds a decisive early edge
Michigan flipped the script early, opening a sizable margin before intermission and converting on the offensive glass to create separation. The visitors led by as many as 20 points and took a 16-point cushion into halftime, thanks in large part to second-chance points and efficient ball movement. Michigan scored the game’s first 11 second-chance points and used tip-outs and hustle plays to convert extra possessions into scoreboard advantage.
Elliot Cadeau helped orchestrate Michigan’s attack, finishing with 17 points, four rebounds and seven assists. The Wolverines’ ability to generate scoring from multiple sources kept Purdue from settling into a defensive game plan that had frustrated opponents earlier in the season.
Purdue battles back but can’t close the gap
Purdue rallied in the second half but could not erase the early deficit. Braden Smith, scoreless in the first half for a second straight outing, surged for 20 points after intermission and provided the offensive lift the Boilermakers needed. Trey Kaufman-Renn was a force on the glass and on the scoreboard, finishing with 27 points and 12 rebounds, but the late push fell short as Purdue couldn’t string together enough stops.
The Boilermakers kept turnovers in check early, committing just three in the first half, and won the points-off-turnovers battle. However, Michigan’s dominance on the offensive boards and its depth in bench production swung momentum. Purdue’s bench struggled to contribute reliably; several reserves were held scoreless deep into the second half. Missing close interior looks and limited pick-and-roll opportunities to the post in the first half proved costly, putting Purdue on the back foot for much of the night.
Implications and takeaways
The result further solidifies Michigan’s perch atop the conference picture with four regular-season games remaining, while Purdue pivots toward protecting and sharpening its NCAA tournament resume. The matchup marked a marquee home test for the Boilermakers, the first visit by a No. 1-ranked team to Mackey Arena since 2005, and offered a clear measure of where each team stands in the closing stretch of the regular season.
Key statistical notes from the contest reflect the contrast in styles: Michigan turned hustle plays into second-chance points and turned depth into sustained pressure, while Purdue’s national-leading offensive metrics faced a rare night where shots and second-chance defense didn’t align. Despite the loss, Purdue remains strong in metrics that matter—offensive efficiency, assist-to-turnover ratio and rebound margin—but will need more consistency from its role players and cleaner execution in the opening minutes if it is to flip a result like this in a rematch.
The game also tightened the rivalry’s recent history: the series has seen many high-stakes meetings, and Tuesday’s matchup was the latest top-10 showdown. As both teams head toward the final month of the regular season, each will take lessons from the night—Michigan in how it maintained composure and punished opportunities, Purdue in how to avoid big early holes and get sustained production from its depth chart.
