Skip to main content

Purdue blown out by second-ranked Auburn in Birmingham

On3 imageby:Brian Neubert12/21/24

brianneubert

Purdue's loss to Auburn
Purdue's loss to Auburn (Jake Crandall/ Adver/USA Today Sports)

BIRMINGHAM — For years now, Purdue has been bullying people, to the tune of extraordinary highs and win after win in the highest level of non-conference play.

But turnabout is fair play, and the level of opponent the Boilermakers have thrived against in years part is turning the tables.

PDF: Purdue-Auburn stats

Saturday in Birmingham, second-ranked and absolutely elite Auburn dominated No. 16 Purdue at the Battle in Birmingham 87-69 — the front end of a neutral-site series between the two programs. Purdue scored the game’s final 11 points to clean up the final score after trailing by as many as 33.

Johni Broome, the player-of-the-year front-runner who just hurt his shoulder, finished with 23 point and 11 rebounds.

More: Analysis | Wrap Video | Stat Blast | Final Thoughts | Pod

Purdue shot only 37 percent, those numbers probably improved by garbage time.

Auburn scored 23 points off turnovers and 30 second-chance points.

Auburn led by as many as 18 in the final minute of the first half, but CJ Cox’s last-second three sent the Boilermakers to the locker room down 41-26 to end a first half in which it shot only 33 percent, missed all but one of its firs 10 threes and went 4-of-11 at the foul line, 1-of-7 from Trey Kaufman-Renn.

Kaufman-Renn led Purdue with 15 points, but left a lot of points at the foul line.

This was Purdue’s fifth non-conference game vs. a top-25 team. The Boilermakers went 2-3 in those games.

More to come …

You may also like