Ohio State Ends Purdue Basketball’s 9-Game Winning Streak

At Worth Metropolis Arena, Purdue basketball experienced their first setback in over a month, with Ohio State dealing a surprising 73-69 loss to the No. 2-ranking team on Sunday afternoon. The game not only snapped Purdue’s nine wins in a row but also marked a successful debut game for Ohio State interim coach Jake Diebler. The loss could also potentially benefit Illinois in the Big Ten race, which is currently only one loss behind Purdue.

The game started off strong for Purdue, with an early lead of 12-6. However, the Boilermakers (23-3, 12-3) found it hard to maintain their momentum, hindered by a combination of poor shooting, turnovers, and early fouls. Ohio State’s defense played a significant role in this, restricting Purdue to just nine 3-point attempts and their second-lowest scoring total of the season.

A key moment in the game was Austin Parks’ open layup, which gave the Buckeyes a crucial lead and fueled their energy. This allowed Ohio State to lead at halftime and maintain it into the second half, culminating in Jamison Battle scoring three consecutive 3-pointers for Ohio State (15-11, 5-10) and securing a 12-point lead.

Zach Edey, Purdue’s star center, managed to perform well despite being hampered by foul trouble and intense scrutiny from Ohio State, tallying 22 points, 13 rebounds, and three blocks. However, the game highlights were unquestionably Bruce Thornton and Jamison Battle from Ohio State, and Braden Smith from Purdue. Thornton’s opening eight points eventually totaled 22, while Battle’s 3-pointer streak resulted in 19 points. As for Smith, his contribution of 12 points, 7 assists, and 5 rebounds were critical to Purdue’s performance.