michigan vs purdue — No. 1 Wolverines pull away for 91-80 win at Mackey Arena
Michigan left West Lafayette with a statement win Tuesday night, handing Purdue a 91-80 setback in a game that saw the visitors seize control early and withstand a second-half push. Tipoff was at 6: 30 p. m. ET, and Michigan extended its run at the top of the conference while Purdue was left to regroup after a costly first half.
Game snapshot: scoreboard, standout numbers
The final score read 91-80, with Michigan improving its league mark and Purdue falling to a record that leaves the Boilermakers alive mathematically but focused on seeding. Trey Kaufman-Renn paced Purdue with a 27-point, 12-rebound night while Michigan’s Elliot Cadeau finished with 17 points, seven assists and four rebounds. Braden Smith, scoreless in the first half for a second straight game, erupted for 20 in the second but could not erase the hole his team dug early.
How Michigan built separation
The Wolverines opened a commanding advantage by dominating the offensive glass and converting extra possessions into points. Michigan outscored Purdue 14-4 on second-chance points in the first half and opened a 16-point lead by intermission. The visitors used smart tip-outs, aggressive hustle on loose balls and a steady offensive balance to convert opportunities that Purdue left available.
Bench contributions also tilted in Michigan’s favor. While Purdue’s reserves struggled to find the scoreboard for long stretches, Michigan’s depth delivered key minutes that kept pressure on the Boilermakers even when starters rested. Those sustained scoring bursts and the extra possessions forced Purdue into a comeback mode early in the second half.
Purdue’s missed chances and what it means
Purdue showed elements of what has made it successful this season — low turnovers early and an emphasis on post touches — but the Boilermakers failed to finish many high-percentage attempts when it mattered most. Purdue made just 4 of 9 layups in the first half and missed several close looks that would have trimmed Michigan’s lead. Kaufman-Renn needed 15 field goal attempts to reach 14 first-half points, illustrating how hard it was for Purdue to convert on interior chances.
Defensively, Purdue limited transition runs by committing only three first-half turnovers, but that advantage was undercut by Michigan’s rebounding and ability to create extra possessions. The home crowd at Mackey Arena — decked out for a “Black Out” — lost some of its lift as the Wolverines’ early lead grew, and despite renewed energy in the second half the Boilermakers never assembled a sustained run longer than 6-0 to truly swing momentum back in their favor.
The loss complicates Purdue’s Big Ten outlook. Even if the Boilermakers win out, the combination of Michigan’s consistency and the remaining conference slate makes a conference title unlikely; realistically, Purdue shifts focus toward solidifying its NCAA tournament seeding and tightening up those late-game execution issues. For Michigan, the victory reinforced why the team sits atop the standings: depth, rebounding toughness and an ability to convert second-chance opportunities into decisive margins.
