The Washington Huskies faced off against the Purdue Boilermakers in a tightly contested game at Mackey Arena. The final score was 81-73 in favor of the Boilermakers, bringing their record to 5-0, while the Huskies now stand at 0-1.

Jan 7, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers guard Braden Smith (3) looks at the basket over Washington Huskies guard J.J. Mandaquit (23) during the first half at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

First Half

The first half saw Purdue taking an early lead with a strong offensive performance. The Boilers scored 45 points, showcasing their effective field goal percentage of 57 percent. Their dominance in the paint was evident as they accumulated 42 points there by halftime. Meanwhile, the Dawgs struggled to keep pace, managing only 28 points despite Franck Kepnang's efforts on defense with his notable rebounds.

Second Half

In the second half, Washington mounted a comeback attempt led by Quimari Peterson and Hannes Steinbach. Peterson contributed significantly with his scoring and assists, while Steinbach added crucial steals that helped narrow the gap. The Huskies improved their shooting accuracy to finish with a field goal percentage of 44 percent overall.

Jan 7, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Washington Huskies forward Bryson Tucker (8) shoots he ball over Purdue Boilermakers guard Fletcher Loyer (2) during the first half at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Despite these efforts and outscoring Purdue by nine points in this period, it wasn't enough to overcome Purdue's earlier lead. The Boilers maintained control through strategic plays and key contributions from their bench players who added significant points when needed.

Post-game Analysis

After analyzing this matchup between two competitive teams, it's clear that turnovers played a critical role; both teams had similar turnover numbers but capitalized differently on them—Purdue scoring more off turnovers than Washington did.

Jan 7, 2026; West Lafayette, Indiana, USA; Purdue Boilermakers center Daniel Jacobsen (12) shoots the ball in front of Washington Huskies forward Nikola Dzepina (33) during the first half at Mackey Arena. Mandatory Credit: Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

For fans looking for more insights into player performances or post-game thoughts from coaches or players themselves can refer back later for detailed Washington Huskies post-game interviews which will provide further context about what transpired during this exciting encounter!

Looking ahead: On January 11th at Alaska Airlines Arena located within Seattle’s vibrant cityscape awaits another thrilling contest where Ohio State Buckeyes will challenge our beloved team once again! Tune into Peacock network starting promptly around six o'clock Eastern Time (3 PM Pacific) so you don't miss any action-packed moments unfolding live right before your eyes!

Share your thoughts about how well each squad performed today using social media platforms available online now!

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