michigan vs purdue: No. 1 Wolverines pull away in 91-80 road win at Mackey Arena
No. 1 Michigan used a dominant first half and steady second-chance production to beat No. 7 Purdue 91-80 on Tuesday, Feb. 17. The Wolverines improved to 25-1 overall and 15-1 in conference play, while Purdue fell to 21-5 and 11-4. Tipoff was set for 6: 30 p. m. ET at Mackey Arena, where Michigan opened a lead that the Boilermakers could not erase.
Michigan builds decisive early edge behind offensive rebounding and efficient finishing
The game tilted quickly toward Michigan when the Wolverines dominated the glass and converted second-chance opportunities. Michigan outscored Purdue 14-4 on the offensive boards in the first half and opened a 16-point lead at the break. The visitors scored the game’s first 11 second-chance points, using heady tip-outs and relentless hustle to turn missed shots into easy putbacks and open looks.
Elliot Cadeau helped orchestrate Michigan’s attack with 17 points, four rebounds and seven assists. The balance of scoring and rebounding forced Purdue into a scramble: the Boilermakers managed just a handful of clean finishes early, making only 4 of 9 first-half layup attempts and failing to generate pick-and-roll or lob dunk opportunities for their bigs. That lack of easy interior buckets compounded the damage from Michigan’s offensive rebounding advantage.
Purdue fought back but could not overcome the first-half hole
Purdue staged a second-half push, largely thanks to Trey Kaufman-Renn’s workload and Braden Smith’s late surge. Kaufman-Renn finished with 27 points and 12 rebounds on 12 of 26 shooting, while Smith, after consecutive scoreless first halves, scored 20 in the second half to try to swing momentum back in West Lafayette.
The Boilers did a respectable job limiting turnovers early, committing only three in the first half and winning the turnover battle in terms of points (22-12). Bench production, normally an edge for Purdue, went cold for long stretches; several reserves went scoreless deep into the second half and the team never assembled a sustained run longer than 6-0. When Purdue finally cleaned up some of its finishing and found better post touches later, it still could not string together enough stops to erase the deficit.
What the result means for both teams and the Big Ten race
Michigan’s victory tightened its grip on the conference lead with four league games remaining. The Wolverines’ sustained efficiency — including a season marked by a high number of double-digit wins — keeps them in pole position for a Big Ten crown. For Purdue, the loss is a setback to championship hopes; the Boilermakers remain mathematically alive but face an uphill climb and are likely refocusing on NCAA tournament seeding and matchups.
Home-court atmosphere offered help but could not overcome Michigan’s early push. Mackey Arena was dressed for a blackout and the crowd roared when Purdue mounted runs, but the 20-point first-half hole drained energy from the building. Purdue’s staff and players will point to improved second-half details — finishing in the paint, extended defensive pressure and deeper bench scoring — as the fixes needed down the stretch. For Michigan, the win reinforced why the team sits atop the league: depth, hustle on the offensive glass and an ability to convert advantage into scoreboard separation early.
Both teams move forward with clear priorities: Michigan to close out the regular season with momentum and Purdue to regroup and sharpen the areas that failed to produce in West Lafayette.
