Northwestern pulls away to shock top-ranked Purdue
Boo Buie scored 26 points, Chase Audige had 15 and Northwestern beat No. 1 Purdue 64-58 on Sunday.
Led by its experienced backcourt, Northwestern (18-7, 9-5 Big Ten) added a signature win to its bid for the school’s second NCAA Tournament appearance. The Wildcats got their first win in 19 games against the No. 1 team in the AP poll.
Zach Edey had 24 points and eight rebounds for Purdue (23-3, 12-3), which had won 11 in a row against Northwestern. Braden Smith finished with 10 points on 1-for-7 shooting.
Edey’s hook shot lifted Purdue to a 55-47 lead with 3:52 to go. But Northwestern
closed the game with a 17-3 run.
Audige scored 10 points in the dazzling finish. He gave the Wildcats the lead for good when he made a 3-pointer after an Edey turnover.
Brooks Barnhizer had a fast-break layup and Buie made two foul shots in the final minute to help Northwestern hold on. When it was over, the raucous student section stormed the court to celebrate with the team.
Purdue shot just 28.6% (6 for 21) from the field in the second half. It also committed 13 of its 16 turnovers in the final 20 minutes.
Ethan Morton and Mason Gillis each made a 3-pointer to help Purdue open a 26-16 lead with 9:19 left in the first half. But
Buie converted a driving layup in the final seconds, trimming the Boilermakers’ lead to 37-30 at the break.
BIG PICTURE
Purdue: The collapse down the stretch was a troubling development. The Boilermakers also lost to Indiana last weekend.
Northwestern: Audige stepped up after a slow start, giving the Wildcats a big boost.
UP NEXT
Purdue visits Maryland on Thursday night. The Boilermakers beat the Terrapins 58-55 on Jan. 22 at Mackey Arena.
Northwestern hosts No. 18 Indiana on Wednesday night. The Wildcats topped the Hoosiers 84-83 on Jan. 8.