No. 20 Purdue Dominates Middle In 87-70 Win Over Michigan
MICHAEL MAROT, AP Sports Writer
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. (AP) — A.J. Hammons scored 17 points and had four blocks while Rapheal Davis added 16 points Thursday to lead No. 20 Purdue past Michigan 87-70.
The Boilermakers (14-2, 2-1 Big Ten) have won eight of 10 and are 10-1 at home this season.
Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman scored a career-high 25 points on 10-of-16 shooting. Derrick Walton Jr. added 12 points as Michigan (12-4, 2-1) had its six-game winning streak snapped.
After Purdue took an 11-point lead with 6:54 to go, Michigan quickly cut the deficit to 66-60 when Zak Irvin made three free throws with 5:20 left.
But the Boilermakers answered with a 3-pointer from Dakota Mathias, a basket that spurred a 12-0 run and pushed the lead to 78-60.
Michigan never seriously challenged again, and the Boilermakers closed it out at the free-throw line.
Purdue's offense struggled most of the first half before using a finishing flurry to take control. The 16-4 run over the last 4½ minutes finally gave Purdue control with a 35-28 halftime lead.
Then, unlike Saturday in a loss to Iowa, the Boilermakers continued playing well in the second half. They extended the lead to 45-35 with 16:15 to play.
After Michigan cut the deficit to five, the Boilers answered with an 8-2 spurt to make it 58-47.
Offensively, it was a challenge most of the night.
Purdue started 3 of 15 from the field, while Michigan finished the half going 1 of 8.
STILL MISSING
Michigan guard Caris LeVert missed his second straight game with a lower left leg injury. He traveled with the team and was dressed in sweats, but there was no immediate word on when he'd return. LeVert leads the Wolverines in scoring (17.6 points), rebounds (5.4) and assists (5.2).
TIP-INS
Michigan: Came into the game with the nation's sixth-best shooting percentage (50.9) but shot just 37.7 percent from the field Thursday. ... The only other Wolverines player to score in double figures was Duncan Robinson with 10. ... This was the first of three straight games the Wolverines play against ranked teams.
Purdue: Hammons, the 7-foot center who is Purdue's leading scorer, made his first start of the season. ... The Boilermakers outscored Michigan 42-18 in the paint, 26-9 off the bench and had 26 assists. ... The Boilermakers kept their 14th opponent below their season scoring average. Michigan was averaging 79.3 points.
UP NEXT
Michigan hosts No. 3 Maryland on Tuesday.
Purdue visits Illinois on Sunday.
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