Northwestern 68, at Purdue 81

CHICAGO (Interstat) — In a game defined by a dominant opening act, the Purdue Boilermakers built an insurmountable first-half lead and withstood a spirited Northwestern rally to secure an 81-68 victory in a Big Ten Conference men’s basketball game Thursday night at the United Center. The Boilermakers, improving to 24-8 overall, seized control from the opening tip, exploiting their significant interior advantage. Purdue’s offense operated with ruthless efficiency in the first half, shooting a blistering percentage from the field and dissecting the Northwestern defense to build a 45-21 lead at intermission. The Wildcats, who finished their season at 15-19, were… Read more...