PISCATAWAY, NJ— Purdue men's basketballfinally made a strong statement Tuesday at the Big Ten Road Commencement at Rutgers.
No. 1 Boilers went to victory with a score of 81-65 at Jersey Mike's Arena. They have lost five of the last six Big Ten road openers. and six of the last seven road games in December.
Advertising
Here's what I liked and didn't like, and what a Boilers win means.
What I liked about Purdue's win over Rutgers
Jicarri Harris finally got into action on Friday against Eastern Illinois. That spark continued on Tuesday when he hit three threes in the first half for 11 points before the break. It was one of his career highs, achieved in the win over the Panthers.
The shooting boost was especially important—and not just because Rutgers essentially allowed Purdue to beat it on the road with its 2-3 zone. Harris' inconsistent minutes Naturally, this sometimes results in less consistent shot chances. As a result, it took him a while to find his freshman stroke. He seems to be warming up already in second grade.
Advertising
∙ Trey Kaufman-Renne spent about as much time on the court as the Jersey Mike logo in the first half. He still had almost a double-double at halftime – nine points, eight rebounds. He also made a couple of assists by dribbling into the middle of the zone and passing from there.
He recorded a double-double before the U16 timeout in the second half. The biggest effect of Jack Benter's absence due to illness would have been if Kaufman-Renn had gotten into trouble. Instead, with both centers picking up two fouls in the first half, he dropped to the 5th with Liam Murphy playing a few extra minutes in the 4th.
∙ Oscar Cluff's passing is still an underrated part of elite offensive efficiency. He averaged 2.1 assists per game. (He averaged 2.8 per game last season at South Dakota State while averaging more minutes.) He had two more goals by halftime when Purdue moved the ball inside the zone and he kicked the ball back.
What I didn't like about Purdue's win over Rutgers
Purdue might have given it up sooner if not for some mid-range shooting issues early on. A 4-for-13 start on two-point field goals slowed things down a bit. Of course, Purdue also made up for it with offensive rebounds.
Advertising
∙ It’s a shame that Jack Benter missed his highly anticipated Big Ten debut due to illness. The only positive thing is the opportunity it created for Staten Island native Murphywho played some extra minutes both during his return from injury and during homecoming, which is the most the Big Ten has to offer him.
About Murphy: Transfer sharpshooter scores title goals for Purdue basketball and represents his area.
What does Purdue's win over Rutgers mean?
A first Big Ten win is impossible — and given how those early road forays went, Purdue couldn't assume anything. Now the Boilermakers won't start Big Ten play in the hole.
Advertising
They return home to take part in another big non-conference challenge. Iowa Coming to Mackey Arena on Saturday is All-American candidate Joshua Jackson and one of the top cornerbacks in the country.
Nathan Baird And Sam King get the best Purdue sports coverage and subscribe to IndyStar Boiler Manufacturer Newsletter.
This article originally appeared on the Indianapolis Star: Purdue basketball scores today at Rutgers, game stats, likes, dislikes
