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Game Wrap: Purdue 80 Michigan 91

· Yahoo Sports

WEST LAFAYETTE, INDIANA - FEBRUARY 17: Trey Kaufman-Renn #4 of the Purdue Boilermakers shoots the ball during the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at Mackey Arena on February 17, 2026 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Michael Hickey/Getty Images) | Getty Images

What many had proclaimed as one of the biggest matchups in Mackey Arena’s history started off with a bang but quickly turned sour as the Purdue Boilermakers got beat decisively by the Michigan Wolverines. It is the second time this season that Purdue faced a top-10 opponent inside Mackey Arena and the second time they got run off the floor. It started off well for the Boilers, but fans quickly were quieted by a massive Wolverine run that saw Purdue struggle to do much of anything correctly.

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It took nearly two and a half minutes for the scoring to kick off as Fletcher Loyer hit a mid-range jumper and followed it up with a three-pointer to give Purdue a 5-0 lead at the 16:56 mark. It would be just a few minutes later, with the game tied at 11, that Michigan would go on a game-defining 16-0 run over four minutes. In the end, over the last 13 minutes of the half, Michigan would outscore Purdue 38-21 and look dominant in doing so.

Purdue’s offense was just stuck as Michigan ran shooters off the three-point line and funneled everything right to their big man, Aday Mara. The transfer from UCLA dominated inside but struggled with staying on the floor in the second half due to fouls. He would end up with a 10-point and 11-rebound double-double alongside Morez Johnson’s 12 points and 11 rebounds. That domination inside, along with Michigan’s shooting from outside, was the recipe they used to keep Purdue at arm’s length the entire second half.

Early in the second half, Purdue seemed like it was poised to go on a big run as they had seemingly grabbed momentum with a defensive stop; however, following a forced turnover, Loyer took an impatient three-pointer that he airballed. Michigan would go down quickly, and Elliot Cadeau would hit a 3 to push the lead back to 16 with 16:15 left. Cadeau would finish the game with 17 points and 7 assists, leading the Wolverines in scoring.

Purdue would go on a number of small runs throughout the second half and chipped away at the 15-point Wolverine halftime lead, but they were only ever able to go on a 6-0 run. Every time Purdue was able to gain momentum, the Wolverines were able to snatch it back with big shot after big shot—something that very clearly frustrated the players and fans.

To try and get itself back in the game, Purdue went back to what made them successful last season with TKR at the 5 and running the two-man game with him and Smith. That change in the second half led those two to having the big halves Purdue needed to get itself back in the game. Purdue, struggling from the outside and forcing Aday Mara to the bench, went to TKR time and again. TKR responded and looked like the player he was last year, going for 27 points on 12/26 shooting with 12 rebounds.

Smith also picked up the slack as he scored 20 in the second half and combined that with 4 steals. He was finally able to get himself free on the offensive end and got himself to the free-throw line, where he went 10-10 as well. It wasn’t a perfect game for Smith, but the issue was the Boilers just didn’t get the support from the other players they needed, as nobody else was able to consistently hit shots or make plays.

The one time it seemed like Purdue was on the cusp of a run came with 7:30 left as Oscar Cluff poked the ball away, gathered it, and finished at the rim to bring the score to 69-58. Michigan responded, but the crowd had gotten engaged again and Purdue responded with a level of intensity that had been lacking from this team all season.

Following a Harris steal and score, Purdue again had the chance to counter-punch when they got within 8 with 2 minutes left. It just ended up being a lead too large as Purdue ran out of time and couldn’t make the plays when they needed them, losing 91-80.

In the end, that four-minute spurt in the middle of the first half was too much for a Purdue team that didn’t shoot up to their ability and allowed Michigan to do the one thing they have done to nearly every other opponent: a major game-shifting run that forced their opponent to play from behind. It should be noted that without that 4-minute spurt of excellence, Purdue played as well as or better than Michigan.

What was noticeable, though, was how hard Purdue played in the second half. For the first time this season, it looked like Purdue was playing with a purpose, cognizant of the real possibility of losing something it was working for. From Smith seemingly spending more time diving on the floor than playing upright to TKR picking up Yaxel full court, the Purdue team in the second half looked like a hungry team. If they can take one thing from a loss, it’s just that.

Purdue will next play Indiana at home on Friday and it’ll be a chance for the big three of Smith, Loyer, and TKR to ensure they do not have a losing record against their biggest rival. Purdue also has a chance to continue elevating their tourney resume and can still get itself into a solid position as a 2 seed.

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