michigan vs purdue — No. 1 Michigan pulls away in 91-80 win at Mackey Arena
Top-ranked Michigan left Mackey Arena with a 91-80 victory over No. 7 Purdue on Tuesday, punctuating a dominant first half that the Boilermakers could not fully erase. The Wolverines improved to 25-1 overall and 15-1 in conference play with four games remaining; Purdue fell to 21-5 and 11-4, still alive for NCAA seeding but effectively out of the Big Ten title chase.
First-half surge and second-chance supremacy set the tone
Michigan opened a decisive advantage early by converting on the offensive glass and manufacturing extra possessions. The Wolverines outscored Purdue 14-4 on second-chance points in the first half, building a 16-point cushion by intermission. Michigan also scored the game’s first 11 second-chance points, using tip-outs and hustle plays to complement an already efficient offense.
Purdue, meanwhile, squandered several close looks in the opening 20 minutes. The Boilermakers made only 4 of 9 layups in the first half and failed to generate any lob or pick-and-roll dunk opportunities for their bigs. Those misses magnified Michigan’s rebounding edge and allowed the visitors to dictate tempo.
Individual efforts and bench dynamics
Purdue got a standout performance from Trey Kaufman-Renn, who finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds on a heavy volume night (12 of 26). Braden Smith — scoreless in the first half for the second straight game — rallied in the second half with a 20-point push, addressing a crucial scoring vacuum for the Boilermakers.
Despite those efforts, Michigan’s balance and bench production swung momentum. Elliot Cadeau led the Wolverines with 17 points, four rebounds and seven assists, energizing the visiting attack. Purdue’s depth could not match that output: several rotation players remained scoreless into the late stages, and the Boilers could not get sustained bench bursts to shorten the gap.
On the turnover front, Purdue did a solid job early, committing just three in the first half and actually winning the points-off-turnovers battle 22-12 for the night. But the failure to convert many close opportunities and Michigan’s success on the offensive glass proved more decisive.
What the result means for the Big Ten and next steps
The loss leaves Purdue mathematically alive in the Big Ten race but with a steep hill to climb; realistic hopes now center on improving NCAA tournament positioning rather than overtaking Michigan. The Wolverines, meanwhile, tightened their grip on the league with a statement road victory that highlighted depth, rebounding and opportunistic offense.
Mackey Arena’s blackout crowd provided a charged atmosphere, but a 20-point first-half hole drained much of the home energy. Purdue staged runs in the second half and had stretches of better execution — including improved post touches and a few pick-and-roll finishes — but could not string together enough stops to make a comeback stick.
With four conference games left, Michigan’s focus will be on maintaining momentum and protecting its No. 1 standing. Purdue shifts to seeding and matchup preparations, aiming to sharpen finishing around the rim and generate more consistent contributions from the second unit as postseason play approaches.
