Purdue Boilermakers Dominate Butler Bulldogs in a Paint Masterclass at Hinkle Fieldhouse
The Purdue Boilermakers emerged victorious over the Butler Bulldogs with a final score of 62-51. The Boilermakers now stand with an impressive record, while the Bulldogs face a setback. The game, which took place at Hinkle Fieldhouse, saw the Boilermakers take control early on and maintain their lead throughout.
From the outset, Purdue established dominance inside, scoring 40 points in the paint compared to Butler's 30. This inside presence was bolstered by a solid two-point shooting performance from Purdue, who shot 49 percent from within the arc on 43 attempts. Their field goal percentage for the game stood at an effective 47 percent across all shots taken.
The defensive efforts of both teams were notable; however, it was Purdue that excelled with six blocks and eight steals contributing to their robust defensive display. The team also capitalized on turnovers scoring 18 points off Butler's mistakes.
Purdue's rebounding was another area where they outperformed Butler, grabbing a total of 34 rebounds - one more than their opponents - including five offensive boards that helped them secure seven second-chance points. Alaina Harper stood out as she orchestrated plays and ensured her team stayed ahead.
On the other side of the court, despite being outplayed in several aspects of the game, Butler managed to keep pace initially but couldn't sustain it against Purdue's relentless pressure. They did excel at free throw accuracy with a perfect rate but only had seven attempts throughout the game compared to Purdue’s four.
Butler also struggled from beyond the arc with an eighteen percent three-point shooting rate which contrasted sharply with Purdue’s forty percent efficiency rate from downtown.
As fans look forward to future games for both teams after this matchup in Indianapolis witnessed by nearly two thousand spectators; they can mark their calendars for when Purdue will host Duquesne Dukes at Mackey Arena in West Lafayette on March 28th at 7:00 PM Eastern Time. Fans eager to catch every play can tune into local broadcasts or attend live to support their team as they continue through their season schedule.