WEST LAFAYETTE — Matt Painter pinned any hopes Purdue basketball had left to win the Big Ten regular-season title on Tuesday night.
In a conference with 18 teams, No. 1 Michigan showed it’s in a league of its own.
The Wolverines (25-1, 15-1 Big Ten) quieted the usual ear-ringing fans in Mackey Arena early and put seventh-ranked Purdue by halftime, eventually leaving town with a 91-80 victory.
A furious rally allowed the Boilermakers (21-5, 11-4) to close within eight on a few occasions in the closing minutes, but Purdue couldn’t recover from a large first-half hole.
Michigan star Yaxel Lendeborg, who went viral for a controversial video ahead of the Purdue matchup, had 13 points and seven assists. Lendeborg was one of six Wolverines in double-figure scoring, including Elliott Cadeau’s team-high 17.
Purdue basketball turning point vs. Michigan
Purdue got the start it had to have, jumping ahead 7-2. Michigan’s next possession resulted in a third-opportunity 3-pointer by Yaxel Lendeborg that would become a theme of the night.
Purdue led 11-10 before missing seven straight shots during an 11-0 Michigan run. Purdue was able to tread water before the Wolverines delivered another haymaker with a 16-0 run.
The Boilers were unusually outmatched in size, and Michigan took advantage with eight offensive rebounds and 14 second-chance points in the opening half to build a lead as large as 20.
How many assists did Braden Smith have vs. Michigan?
Braden Smith had six assists against Michigan. Smith has 986 career assists, ranking fifth in NCAA history. He needs 90 assists to tie former Duke guard Bobby Hurley’s career assists record of 1,076.
3 Purdue basketball stars vs. Michigan
Trey Kaufman-Renn: After scoring 20 points per game a season ago, the fifth-year senior has been more impactful rebounding than scoring this year. He reverted back to his dominating offensive presence, finishing with 27 points and 12 rebounds for his ninth double-double of the season.
Omer Mayer: Purdue stayed close as long as it could after Michigan’s initial push. The freshman guard’s eight first-half points were enough to keep Purdue’s head above water. For awhile.
Braden Smith: After a scoreless first half, Smith’s heroics came with a huge mountain to climb. Smith scored 20 second-half points and also had four steals to go with his six assists.
Sam King covers sports for the Journal & Courier. Email him at sking@jconline.com and follow him on X and Instagram @samueltking.
This article originally appeared on Lafayette Journal & Courier: Purdue basketball loses to No. 1 Michigan