michigan vs purdue: No. 1 Michigan grinds out 91-80 win at Mackey Arena
In a nationally anticipated Big Ten clash Tuesday, Feb. 17, a 6: 30 p. m. ET tipoff turned into a statement night for the top-ranked Wolverines. Michigan built a decisive first-half advantage and never surrendered control, defeating Purdue 91-80 at Mackey Arena. The loss leaves Purdue fighting for seeding while Michigan tightened its grip on the conference race.
Michigan's first-half barrage set the tone
The Wolverines throttled the game open early, using relentless offensive rebounding and hustle plays to create second-chance opportunities that Purdue could not match. Michigan outscored Purdue 14-4 on the offensive glass in the first half and scored the game’s first 11 second-chance points, translating those possessions into a sizable cushion. Tip-outs, smart rotations and a knack for cleaning up loose balls complimented an already efficient attack.
While Michigan’s scoring was balanced, Elliot Cadeau stood out with 17 points, four rebounds and seven assists, orchestrating the offense and keeping the Wolverines moving against Purdue’s veteran frontcourt. The early onslaught left Purdue staring at a 16-point halftime deficit, and that margin proved too large to erase over the final 20 minutes.
Purdue’s rally falls short despite strong individual efforts
Purdue battled back in stretches, fueled by a standout night from Trey Kaufman-Renn, who poured in 27 points and grabbed 12 rebounds on a heavy volume of attempts. The Boilermakers also saw Braden Smith recover from a silent first half — he was scoreless through 20 minutes — to pour in 20 points in the second half, trying to ignite a comeback and rally the Mackey crowd that had been dressed for a “Black Out. ”
Despite those flashes, Purdue’s offensive flow was hampered by a string of missed high-percentage looks in the opening period. The Boilermakers converted just 4 of 9 layups in the first half and failed to find the easy finishers on pick-and-rolls and lob opportunities that typically fuel their attack. That inefficiency, coupled with an inability to turn stops into sustained runs—Purdue never strung together more than a 6-0 run—left the comeback attempts short-lived.
Bench production was also a gap. Michigan flipped the usual script by getting meaningful scoring from its reserves, whereas Purdue’s bench largely went quiet for long stretches, with several rotation players scoreless deep into the second half. When the Boilermakers finally began to settle into second-half looks, they simply ran out of time and stops.
Standings and what this means moving forward
The win pushed Michigan further ahead in the league race, reinforcing its status atop the standings with one of the nation’s most consistent seasons. Purdue, now left to manage expectations, remains mathematically alive for the conference title but appears to be shifting toward the broader task of securing NCAA tournament positioning and seeding.
For Purdue, the immediate priorities are clear: tighten up early-half finishers, create more consistent bench scoring, and cut down the damage on the offensive glass that allowed Michigan to turn extra possessions into scoreboard separation. For Michigan, the game was a reminder that offensive rebounding and hustle plays can tilt a tight matchup into a comfortable victory.
Tuesday’s meeting left both teams with work to do as the calendar heads toward March, but it was Michigan pressing a clear claim on conference momentum and leaving Mackey searching for answers.
