Purdue Defeats Indiana 81-76 in Rivalry Thriller

In a thrilling matchup on Friday night, Purdue narrowly defeated Indiana 81-76 in the latest installment of their historic rivalry. The game featured 15 lead changes, with Indiana leading at halftime 41-37, but Purdue surged back in the second half, aided by Indiana's 19 turnovers. Trey Kaufman-Renn's pivotal basket with 11 seconds left sealed the victory for Purdue, which improved to 17-5 overall and 9-2 in the Big Ten, while Indiana fell to 14-8 and 5-6 in the conference. Indiana's coach Mike Woodson faced challenges, having to adjust his rotation due to performance issues and turnovers. The loss marked Indiana's fifth in their last six games, continuing their struggles against ranked opponents, as they have lost nine straight to such teams since their upset in January 2023. Both teams showcased strong shooting, but Purdue's resilience in the closing moments ultimately earned them the win.