Boilermakers Overcome Golden Gophers at Mackey Arena in Second-Half Surge

The Purdue Boilermakers, ranked second nationally, faced off against the unranked Minnesota Golden Gophers in a conference game that saw the home team secure a 84-76 victory. The Boilermakers' season record improved to an impressive 23-2, while the Golden Gophers fell to 17-8. The first half ended with Minnesota leading by eight points, but Purdue's explosive second half performance turned the tables.

Purdue's offense was firing on all cylinders as they put up 49 points in the second half compared to their first-half tally of 35. Their overall field goal percentage was a solid 48 percent from both two and three-point range. The Boilermakers also excelled at rebounding with a total of 44 rebounds; their defensive efforts were highlighted by grabbing an outstanding number of offensive rebounds at 15.

The standout player for Purdue was undoubtedly their star guard who contributed significantly with both scoring and playmaking abilities. He finished with an impressive double-double, scoring over twenty points and dishing out several assists. His performance was complemented by another player who dominated inside the paint, contributing numerous rebounds and playing a key role defensively.

Minnesota's effort should not go unnoticed as they managed to keep the game competitive through significant stretches. They shot well from beyond the arc at a high percentage of nearly fifty percent and had nineteen assists on their twenty-six made field goals indicating good ball movement. However, they struggled with personal fouls which amounted to twenty for them compared to thirteen for Purdue.

Looking ahead, fans can mark their calendars for an exciting matchup as the Purdue Boilermakers will next face off against Ohio State Buckeyes at Value City Arena in Columbus on February 18th at 1:00 PM Eastern Time. This away game will be broadcast nationally on CBS where fans can tune in to watch all the action unfold live from Ohio State's home court.