Iowa, without its star Owen Freeman, played one of its best games of the season. Payton Standfort went for 23 points, and despite a lackluster crowd, had the #7 Purdue Boilermakers reeling in the first half.
But Braden Smith scored 31 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists and was too much for Iowa in the second half as Purdue pulled away to win 90-81.
Trey Kaufman-Renn was Purdue's offense early, scoring 12 first half points, but for the second straight game Purdue's big got into early foul trouble. He left near the halfway point in the first half with his second foul and Purdue's offense halted. Back to back turnovers by Braden Smith highlighted Iowa's effectiveness hard hedging on the Purdue point guard, but Smith wouldn't be denied.
Smith would hit a buzzer beater off the dribble from the top of the arc to tie the ball game at 36 going into half.
It was a sign of things to come for Purdue's offense.
Purdue was just 2 of 9 from three in the first half, but rapid fired up from distance to start the second half. Caleb Furst found Braden Smith for a three-pointer on one possession, then Kaufman-Renn would find Fletcher Loyer from three in the corner on the next to give Purdue a six point, 47-41 lead.
A few possessions later and Smith would hit another pull up three, and Purdue's lead would extend to 52-43.
CJ Cox would then add his own three off another Kaufman-Renn feed and Purdue's offense looked to be unstoppable, but Payton Sandfort and Josh Dix couldn't be stopped for Iowa either.
Josh Dix would score 27 points and Payton Sandfort would have 23.
Despite leading almost the entirety of the second half, Purdue's lead dwindled quick with a Fletcher Loyer turnover leading to two Dix free throws that pulled Iowa with one possession, 80-77, with just over two mintues to play.
Sandfort had a wide open three to tie the game for Iowa after a Brock Harding block on Kaufman-Renn, but the three was just off and Purdue's Kaufman-Renn would draw a foul at the other end and hit both free throws.
Then Braden Smith would close out any attempt at a come back by getting to the hoop, dumping the ball off to Kaufman-Renn after blowing by his man and Kaufman-Renn would finish at the rim and draw the foul.
Purdue would go on extend the lead 87-77 with two Smith free throws before Iowa went into auto-fouling Purdue.
Trey Kaufman-Renn would continue his terrific play, scoring 25 points, grabbing 7 rebounds, and dishing 4 assists.
