Purdue guard Fletcher Loyer (2) reacts after scoring against Michigan State during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game Saturday, March 2, 2024, in West Lafayette. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)
WEST LAFAYETTE (AP) — Zach Edey had 32 points and 11 rebounds, Braden Smith added 23 points and nine boards, and No. 2 Purdue beat Michigan State 80-74 on Saturday night to clinch a share of the Big Ten regular-season championship.
Gold confetti fell from the Mackey Arena rafters as Purdue celebrated its conference-best 26th title. With a win in either of their final two games, the Boilermakers (26-3, 15-3) would claim their second straight outright regular-season crown.
The last Big Ten team to win back-to-back outright regular-season titles was Ohio State in 2006 and 2007.
Michigan State (17-12, 9-9) shot just 39% and has lost three straight. Tyson Walker had 14 points and seven rebounds, Jaden Akins scored 13, Malik Hall added 12 and Xavier Booker 11.
Fletcher Loyer finished with 15 points for Purdue, which won for the 16th straight time at home.
The Boilermakers ran out to a 15-point lead on Edey’s three-point play with 14:26 to go. Michigan State had an answer. A.J. Hoggard drained an open 3-pointer from the left wing to trim the deficit to 58-55, prompting a timeout by Purdue coach Matt Painter with 9:13 remaining.
Out of the break, Smith knocked down a 3 and Purdue held steady from there. Michigan State never got closer than five in the final three minutes. Mason Gillis’ 3 with 56.3 seconds remaining extended Purdue’s lead to 77-69.
Michigan State coach Tom Izzo called a timeout with 1:46 left in the first half after Edey scored eight points in just more than two minutes to turn a 28-27 deficit into a 35-30 Purdue lead.
Smith then drained a 3 on the other end for a 38-30 advantage, Purdue’s largest to that point after it had trailed by eight early. Walker knocked down a 3 as time expired in the first half to send the Spartans to the locker room down 38-35.
BIG PICTURE
Michigan State: There is no shame in losing at Mackey Arena, where the Spartans have dropped seven straight. Nor will this defeat harm Michigan State’s spot in the NCAA’s NET rankings, 24th entering Saturday. Still, the program’s streak of making 25 consecutive NCAA Tournaments could be in jeopardy if Izzo’s team doesn’t win one of its two remaining regular-season games.
Purdue: Barring an unexpected collapse, the Boilermakers appear headed for a No. 1 seed in the NCAA Tournament for the second consecutive year. Purdue picked up its 10th Quad 1 win, most in the country. Against current members of the AP Top 25, the Boilermakers are 6-0 courtesy of wins over No. 4 Tennessee, No. 5 Marquette, No. 6 Arizona, No. 13 Illinois, No. 14 Alabama and No. 23 Gonzaga.
UP NEXT
Michigan State: Returns home to face Northwestern on Wednesday night as the Spartans look to avenge an 88-74 loss at Northwestern on Jan. 7.
Purdue: Plays at Illinois on Tuesday night in the Boilermakers’ final road game of the season.
