With their lengthy, deep frontcourt, the Purdue Boilermakers are a force to be reckoned with in the post on any given night. And when they’re getting shots to fall from behind the arc, they’re just about unbeatable.
The Wisconsin Badgers (12-6 Big Ten, 20-11 overall) learned that the hard way Sunday night in a 91-80 loss to the 15th-ranked Boilermakers (12-6, 24-7). With the loss, Wisconsin finishes the regularseason in a four-way tie for third place in the Big Ten standings. Due to tiebreaking procedures, the Badgers will be the No. 6 seed in the Big Ten Tournament, marking the first time they will play on Thursday in the conference tournament since 2000.
The first half was a largely back-and-forth affair, with UW even leading by as much as eight at one points. But the Boilermakers struck back, powered by lights out shooting from 3-point range. As a team, they shot 63 percent from the field in the first half, including 8 of 12 from deep. Sophomore guard P.J. Thompson alone scored 15 points by going 5 of 6 from 3-point range.
Heading into the locker room at the half, Purdue held a 45-39 lead. The Badgers shot 57.1 percent from the field, including going 7-of-13 from behind the arc, and scored a superb 1.30 points per possession. However, they were outpaced by the Boilermakers’ sensational 1.50 points per possession.
Purdue continued its torrid pace to start the second half, but Wisconsin failed to keep up.
Freshman forward Caleb Swanigan took over on the offensive end for the Boilermakers, scoring 23 of his 27 points over the last 20 minutes of the game. As a team, the Boilermakers shot 61.1 percent from the field in the second half, holding a double-digit lead most of the way.
Junior forward Nigel Hayes scored 30 points, doing his part to will the Badgers back into the game. However, Hayes did miss a trio of baskets over a two-possession stretch that could have cut UW’s deficit to five. Instead, Wisconsin never got within two possessions and the Boilermakers closed strong to earn a double bye in the Big Ten Tournament.
Redshirt freshman Ethan Happ scored 14 points for the Badgers, going toe to toe with Purdue senior center A.J. Hammons in the first half. But after having to spend all game defending the Boilermakers’ formidable frontcourt, Happ appeared to be running on fumes by the end of the game.
Purdue also held a decided advantage in free throws, going 25-of-33 from the charity stripe. Meanwhile, Wisconsin went 15-of-20 from the line. After swallowing their whistles for the most part in the first half, the officials called the game a lot more closely in the second. The Boilermakers got into the bonus early, making a comeback attempt that much more difficult for the Badgers.
Wisconsin’s next game will take place Thursday at approximately 9 p.m. in the Big Ten Tournament, where it will play the winner of Nebraska vs. Rutgers.
