Purdue Defeats Minnesota 81-61 for Road Win

No. 20 Purdue achieved its first road win of the season, defeating Minnesota 81-61, with Fletcher Loyer scoring 24 points and Braden Smith contributing a double-double of 20 points and 10 assists. The Boilermakers, who struggled initially, broke the game open in the second half with a 14-2 run, led by key performances from Trey Kaufman-Renn and Caleb Furst. This victory marks a significant turnaround for Purdue after recent challenges, including losses to Texas A&M and Auburn. Minnesota's Dawson Garcia led his team with 20 points but continues to struggle against ranked opponents, falling to 0-16 in such matchups under Coach Ben Johnson. The win reaffirms Purdue's strong road performance in the Big Ten, with a cumulative record of 15-7 over the past three seasons. Purdue aims to build on this momentum as they continue through conference play.