michigan vs purdue: Top-ranked Wolverines Pull Away at Mackey Arena, 91-80
In a matchup that had Big Ten race implications, No. 1 Michigan closed the door on Purdue at Mackey Arena with a 91-80 victory on Tuesday night. A blistering first half and control of the offensive glass built a lead Purdue couldn’t overcome, leaving the Boilermakers alive in the standings but chasing seeding prospects for the postseason.
First half surge and second-chance dominance
Michigan opened the game by asserting physical control on the offensive boards and converting second-chance chances early and often. The Wolverines scored the game’s first 11 second-chance points and outscored Purdue 14-4 on offensive rebounds in the first half, forcing a 16-point halftime margin that proved decisive.
Purdue still avoided giveaway trouble early, committing only three turnovers in the first 20 minutes. But missed close looks hurt: the Boilers made only four of nine layups in the opening half, and postseason-style finishing around the rim never clicked when Purdue needed it most. Trey Kaufman-Renn supplied much of the scoring punch, finishing with 27 points on 12-of-26 shooting and grabbing 12 rebounds, but his efficiency dipped early — he took 15 field-goal attempts to reach 14 first-half points.
The game’s tipoff was scheduled for 6: 30 p. m. ET on Tuesday, and the early burst by the visitors sucked the air out of a Mackey Arena crowd decked out for a “Black Out” night.
Purdue fightback, bench woes and what it means for the standings
Purdue made a second-half run, powered by a 20-point surge from Braden Smith after a quiet first 20 minutes, but the comeback lacked consistent defensive stops. The Boilers never put together a run longer than 6-0, and Michigan’s bench outproduced Purdue’s role players at critical stretches. Several Purdue reserves — including C. J. Cox, Gicarri Harris and Jack Benter — were scoreless into the final 4: 09, while Oscar Cluff and Daniel Jacobsen combined for just six points, further limiting the home team's options late.
Despite the loss, Purdue remains mathematically in Big Ten title contention at 11-4 in league play, but realistically the focus will shift to improving NCAA tournament positioning with four conference games left. Michigan improved to 15-1 in Big Ten play and 25-1 overall, underscoring the consistency that has carried the Wolverines throughout the season.
Keys that decided the contest
Michigan’s early rebounding hustle and efficient finishing around the rim created a cushion that held even when Purdue tightened its offense in the second half. The Wolverines complemented their offense with heady tip-outs and timely hustle plays, turning extra opportunities into points and forcing Purdue into a hurried chase. While Kaufman-Renn was a double-double force, the lack of consistent bench scoring and missed interior looks in the first half made it too steep a hill to climb.
For Purdue, the takeaway is blunt: cleaning up early-close finishes and extracting more consistent production from the second unit are immediate priorities. For Michigan, the win keeps them firmly atop the conference and reinforces a formula — physicality on the glass paired with efficient scoring — that will be difficult for opponents to replicate down the stretch.
As the regular season winds toward its final weeks, both teams will pivot quickly: Michigan to maintaining momentum against a tough remaining slate, and Purdue to shoring up flaws ahead of the NCAA tournament push.
