Big Ten Tournament - Purdue 70, Rutgers 65

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Big Ten Player of the Year Zach Edey was called for a technical in the final minutes of an ugly game, but Purdue was eventually able to pull away from Rutgers, 70-65 , behind a pair of strong shooting performances from Mason Gillis and David Jenkins Jr. to advance to the semifinals of the Big Ten Tournament.

Mason Gillis had 20 points and 9 rebounds for Purdue, leading a Boilermaker squad that trailed by double-digits in the early minutes of their first Big Ten Tournament game against Rutgers.

David Jenkins Jr. provided a spark off the bench with 12 points on a perfect 4 of 4 shooting, and Zach Edey had another double-double with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

But this game was marred by questionable officiating and a late game scrum that saw Paul Mulcahy hold onto a dead ball tie up and then flopping to the ground when Edey came to intervene for his teammate. Edey was eventually assessed a technical as Rutger's desperate attempt to comeback with their back court pressure came up short to the Big Ten Champions.

Edey had a relatively quiet game for his standards with 16 points and 11 rebounds.

Derek Simpson led Rutgers with 18 points but was just 5 of 16 from the field.

Purdue will play the winner of Michigan State and Ohio State in the semi-finals.

After a rough start defensively, Purdue locked down on that end holding Rutgers to 40% shooting from the field.

Zach Edey never got going, but Purdue's bench provided a spark, particularly David Jenkins Jr., who knocked down three three-pointers, including back to back shot clock expiring pull-up jumpers.

Mason Gillis was Purdue's star with his second 20-point performance of the season. He did it while going 7 of 8 from the field and 2 of 3 from three.

Rutgers' offensive rebounding kept them in the game late, out rebounding Purdue on the offensive glass 13-12.

Purdue and Rutgers played for the second time this season with Rutgers getting the best of a 13-0 Purdue team at Mackey Arena early in the season.

Rutgers started by turning the ball over on the first possession when Derek Simpson dribbled baseline and stepped out of bounds.

But their press immediately caused issues for Purdue, forcing Brandon Newman into a turnover at half court, but Newman hustled back and stole the ball back from Rutgers.

Both teams started missing early, but a Clifford Omoruyi post-up led to the first points of the game when the big man reached under the basket and around Zach Edey to hit a reverse lay up to go up 2-0 for Rutgers.

Zach Edey responded with Purdue's first make, a hook shot from the post.

Rutgers found Paul Mulcahy open in the corner and the guard knocked down his first three of the game to give the Scarlet Knights a 5-2 lead.

Purdue turned the ball over again on an entry pass and Derek Simpson got free on a drive and drew a foul on Fletcher Loyer. It was Loyer's first foul and he knocked down both to take a 7-2 lead.

Loyer then turned it over for Purdue and Rutgers got a dunk for Clifford Omoruyi on the other end.

Braden Smith would get on the board for Purdue, getting into the lane and getting a lay up to go to cut Rutgers lead to 9-4.

Derek Simpson would get open in the corner and knock down a three for Rutgers, pushing their lead to 8 points.

Mason Gillis would get free throws after grabbing an Edey missed shot, and get fouled but would only convert one of two free throws to move the game to 12-5.

Purdue lost Mulcahy for another three and Rutgers would go up 10 points.

Braden Smith would turn it over on a drive and Ethan Morton would stop a Caleb McConnell lay up in transition, but Rutgers would get open on a Cam Spencer lay up on the in bounds to go up 17-5.

Zach Edey would get a bucket with another hook shot for Purdue to cut the deficit to ten again.

McConnell was called for a charge and David Jenkins Jr. hit a big three for Purdue off the bench.

Purdue's defense looked to turn itself up a notch when Trey Kaufman-Renn forced a steal but Brandon Newman turned it over in transition and Cam Spencer pulled up into a transition three to go up 20-10.

Kaufman-Renn would then find Mason Gillis inside for a lay up to start a Purdue run.

Ethan Morton would find Mason Gillis for a mid-range jumper and David Jenkins Jr. would draw a foul and make a mid-range jumper. His free throw would cut Rutger's lead to 20-17 with just over seven minutes in the first half left.

Braden Smith would find a cutting Mason Gillis on a drive and Gillis would finish a left-handed lay up to get Purdue within one.

But Fletcher Loyer would then miss a wide open three for Purdue and Rutgers would capitalize at the other end with Omoruyi getting a lay up at the rim.

Purdue continued to let points get away from them. Fletcher Loyer was fouled on a drive and Purdue entered the bonus but Loyer missed the front end of the one and one.

Rutgers lead remained 4:28 after a Zach Edey turnover as he attempted to pass out of the post.

But Purdue's defense continued to play better, forcing Rutgers into a shot clock violation.

Mulcahy would bailed out a Rutgers possession after a Loyer missed lay up by hitting a spinning fadeaway to give Rutgers a 24-19 lead.

Newman would then find Edey inside with Omoruyi on his back, Edey would finish a left-handed lay up at the rim and draw Omoruyi's second foul of the game.

Edey's free throw would cut the Rutgers lead to 24-22.

Edey would get another And-1 on the next possession, getting a feed from Gillis as he spun to the hoop and threw down a two-hand dunk.

His next free throw would give Purdue its first lead of the half, 25-24.

Antwone Woolfolk would get his first basket, giving Rutgers a lead back after finishing a lay up on a pick and roll to take back the lead.

Paul Mulcahy was then called for his second foul when he was switched onto Trey Kaufman-Renn in the post. It was Rutgers tenth team foul.

Kaufman-Renn would miss the first and hit the second to tie the game at 26.

Woolfolk grabbed an offensive rebound and finished a hook shot at the rim to give Rutgers a two-point lead.

Purdue had 10 seconds and the final possession. Braden Smith found Mason Gillis at the top of the arc and Rutgers defense was sagged down trying to deny Zach Edey. It gave Gillis enough room to hit his first three of the game, and give Purdue a 29-28 lead going into half.

Rutgers offense started hot, getting a lucky bounce on what looked like a turnover from Omoruyi in the post but ended up in the hands of Caleb McConnell who was able to gather the ball and finish a lay up at the rim to give Rutgers an early 30-29 second half lead.

Zach Edey was then able to find Mason Gillis off a double for an easy lay up to put Purdue back up 1.

McConnell would then attack Fletcher Loyer off the glass and finish with a lefty lay up to go up 31-30.

Derek Simpson would extend the lead for Rutgers with a pull up jumper over Braden Smith.

Smith would respond with a reverse lay up off a drive for Purdue.

Omoruyi would then drive by Edey in the paint for a lay up.

Mason Gillis would hit a corner three for Purdue to tie the game at 36.

Purdue would then force another thirty second violation and get the ball with just over 15 minutes left in the game.

Jalen Miller would then give Rutgers a two point lead on a mid-range pull up over Caleb Furst.

Ethan Morton would knock down his first basket of the game, taking a Braden Smith pass off a drive and finding nothing but not on a three-point attempt to give Purdue a 39-38 lead.

Cam Spencer would respond with a difficult finish at the rim for Rutgers to give the Scarlet Knights the one point edge.

Mason Gillis would grab his fifth offensive rebound at the other end and draw a McConnell foul and make both free throws.

Purdue would lead 41-40 with 11:58 left in the game.

Another Derek Simpson pull up would give Rutgers back the one point lead.

David Jenkins Jr. would bail out Purdue with a last second pull up in their next possession, the three would give Purdue a 44-42 lead.

Omoruyi drove against Purdue and missed a lay up, but a late whistle on Morton gave the big man two free throws. He'd make them both to tie the game at 44.

Then David Jenkins Jr. would go to work again against the shot clock. In almost identical fashion, the transfer senior would end a possession with the shot clock buzzing and his three-pointer falling through the net. Purdue would take a 47-44 lead.

Paul Mulcahy would hit Spencer on a cut with a nifty behind the back pass for a lay up to cut into Purdue's lead, but Jenkins Jr. would find Ethan Morton for his second three of the half.

Purdue's lead would extend to 50-46 with just under 10 minutes left in the game.

Rutgers kept a shot alive with a tip out from McConnell to Simpson and Simpson responded by knocking down an open three from the wing, 50-49 Purdue lead.

Omoruyi was then called for his third and fourth foul for Rutgers in back to back plays.

Morton was fouled on a cut by Woolfolk and got two free throws as part of a four fouls in fourteen second sequence for Rutgers. He'd make both to put Purdue up 52-49.

Ethan Morton saved a Purdue defensive possession by blocking a Spencer jumper from behind after three offensive rebounds and then found Zach Edey at the other end inside for a dunk.

Purdue would go up 54-49.

A flurry of Purdue drives and passes around the perimeter would lead to a Smith floater to give Purdue their biggest lead of the game, 56-49.

Purdue would then turn the ball over against Rutger's press and Simpson would turn defense to offense, finishing a lay up around Morton and drawing a foul.

Simpson's free throw would make it 56-52.

Braden Smith would find Mason Gillis wide open for a three, but Gillis would miss. Zach Edey would grab the offensive rebound for Purdue and draw a foul on Caleb McConnell, his third.

Edey would make his first free throw and the second to give Purdue a 58-52 lead with four minutes to play.

Jenkins Jr. would then find Edey inside and the Big Ten Player of the Year would get a hook shot to fall, 60-52.

McConnell would get free on a back cut for Rutgers and finish a lay up to cut into the lead, 60-54.

Rutgers press would continue to make Purdue's ability to get up court difficult. Morton would get in a tie up at mid court for a turnover and Rutgers would get the ball back.

Rutgers would get a little too aggressive and McConnell would be called for a foul on David Jenkins Jr. at half court.

Jenkins Jr. would then miss the front end of a one and one. Then was called for a foul on his miss after the ball was hit into the air by Edey.

Simpson would make the Rutgers free throws and cut Purdue's lead to 60-56 with 2:18 to play.

Purdue would turn the ball over again against the press, but Simpson would miss a shot at the rim, and Loyer would grab the rebound before McConnell was whistled for another foul.

That would be the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year's fifth foul of the game.

Loyer would make the first and the second to extend the lead to 62-56.

Then Rutgers would get a tie after a miss, and Mulcahy would refuse to let go of the ball after a foul call. Edey came over to break it up and Mulcahy would flop to the ground. Edey would get called for a Technical.

Newman would make one free throw and Spencer would make one for Rutgers.

Rutgers would get the ball but miss a floater and Purdue would be up 63-57 with 1:43 left after a tie up for the rebound.

Purdue would again turn the ball over against the press, but again Rutgers failed to capitalize with Simpson being called for a charge.

Purdue would finally get a ball past half court and Morton would find Gillis inside who would pump fake and draw a foul at the rim.

Gillis would make the first free throw and miss the second, but Edey would tap out the ball and keep it alive for Purdue.

Gillis would finish the possession by hitting a tough floater just as time expired and a man in his face.

That'd give Gillis 20 points on the game and Purdue a 66-57 lead with less than a minute remaining.

Then a baffling jump ball call by the refs allowed Rutgers to keep the ball after a Simpson missed lay up. Spencer would respond by knocking down a three and cutting Purdue's lead to 66-60 with 39.3 seconds remaining in the game.

Fletcher Loyer was fouled on the next Purdue possession and made both to give Purdue a 68-60 lead.

But Brandon Newman was called for a foul on a Derek Simpson three-point attempt with 21.8 seconds left.

Simpson would only make one of three free throw attempts and Purdue would in bound with a 68-61 lead and just over 20 seconds left in the game.

Smith would then get fouled on Purdue's next in bounds and miss the first but make the second to all but seal up the win for Purdue.