No. 22 Michigan dominates No. 20 Purdue to earn spot in Big Ten semifinals
Michigan used a dominant second-half to rout Purdue 86-68 and advance to the Big Ten Tournament semifinals. The Wolverines led 40-36 at halftime, but extended that advantage to double-digits before running away with it in the final 10 minutes.
The win was No. 22 Michigan’s first in its last four games after they closed the regular season with losses to Michigan State, Maryland and Illinois. No. 20 Purdue is the fourth straight ranked opponent the Wolverines have played, and on Friday, they found a way to earn a quality win.
The second-seeded Wolverines (23-9) allowed the game’s initial six points, then led for the final 37 minutes in an impressive bounce-back win to advance to a semifinal against No. 11 Maryland (25-7) on Saturday.
Eight Michigan players scored at least six points. Danny Wolf led the way with 18 points and 11 rebounds for his 13th double-double of the season.
Tre Donaldson gets the steal and finds Danny Wolf for the finish, extending Michigan’s lead vs. Purdue
Vladislav Goldin added 15 points and eight rebounds. Tre Donaldson had 13 points and Roddy Gayle Jr. scored 11.
Trey Kaufman-Renn led sixth-seeded Purdue (22-11) with 24 points and nine rebounds. Big Ten player of the year Braden Smith, who averaged 24 points and 8.5 assists in two regular-season meetings vs. Michigan, finished with 12 points on 5-of-18 shooting, 2 of 10 from 3-point range. He had six assists.
Purdue Boilermakers vs. Michigan Wolverines Big Ten Tournament Highlights | FOX College Hoops
Takeaways
Purdue: The Boilermakers have a strong 1-2 offensive punch in Kaufman-Renn and Smith, but NCAA Tournament survival likely hinges on the supporting cast, which is capable but often inconsistent.
Michigan: A much-needed confidence boost for the Wolverines after a lackluster regular-season finish. When this team shares the ball (25 assists) and limits turnovers (six), it’s a tough out.
Key moment
Michigan opened the second half with a 12-5 spurt to build a 52-41 lead after a Donaldson 3-pointer.
Key stat
Despite Smith being the league leader in assists, Michigan had a 25-11 edge in the category.
Up next
Purdue awaits an NCAA Tournament bid. Michigan faces Maryland in the semifinals on Saturday.
Reporting by The Associated Press
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