Purdue dominated for most the game, but Iowa pushed back in the second half to get within 6 points before Braden Smith and the Boilers rolled to an 87-73 victory.

The first half couldn't have went much better for Purdue. They held Iowa's high-powered offense to just 21 points, played the game at their pace, and Braden Smith looked on his way to having a career game.

But Iowa's offense jumped on Purdue in the second half, and the press forced just enough turnovers to keep things interesting. Purdue's 20+ lead was dwindled to single-digits halfway through the second half, but Purdue was able to respond to move to 23-2 on the season.

Braden Smith did end up with a career game. He had a new career-high of 24 points, making 4 of 5 from three, and adding 4 rebounds and 5 assists. He was nearly perfect in the first half, orchestrating the offense, getting through the press, and attacking against a defense focused on stopping Zach Edey down low.

Caleb Furst continues to impress, splitting the four minutes with Mason Gillis. In just 24 minutes of action, he had a double-double, with 11 points and 10 rebounds, including 4 offensive rebounds. He had a key put back late to keep Purdue's lead above ten.

Mason Gillis continued his hot shooting in Mackey in the first half. Just a game removed from setting the record for most threes made in Mackey Arena by a Boiler, he had two first half three-pointers. He finished with 10 points in the game.

Iowa came in with five players averaging in double-figures, but it was Purdue that had five guys go for 10 points or more. Caleb Furst, Mason Gillis, Fletcher Loyer, Zach Edey, and Braden Smith all scored in the double-digits.

Zach Edey was doubled and triple teamed all night but still managed 14 points with 14 rebounds. His defense was pivotal, especially in the first half, and he had a season-high 4 assists.

Purdue's problem at IU was live ball turn overs. Purdue's problem in the first possession against Iowa, a live ball turnover.

Fletcher Loyer started the game off by losing control of the ball and Iowa immediately made them pay, getting the ball down court to Kris Murray for an early lay up and 2-0 lead.

But Loyer responded by taking a hand off two possessions later from Zach Edey and attacking the paint. He got two steps on his defender and finished with a lay up at the rim to tie the game.

Loyer in similar action on the next possession would drive towards the paint, then stop on a dime, crossing behind the back and then getting into a step back jumper from mid-range to give Purdue it's first lead of the game, 4-2.

Then Braden Smith took over, hitting a pull up 3 off a Zach Edey screen when Iowa went under on a screen. A big Edey block on the next possession would force a 30 second shot clock violation for Iowa's second best in the country offense.

Smith would then knock down his second three-pointer off an Edey pass that gave Purdue a 10-2 edge.

Filip Rebraca would hit a mid range jumper over Zach Edey to give Iowa it's second basket.

Smith would then get into the Iowa defense, hanging in the air, and firing a pass to the corner to an open Loyer for the 13-4 lead.

An Iowa turnover would lead to Braden Smith finding Caleb Furst in transition for an And-1 against Kris Murray.

Furst would miss his free throw but Edey would grab the rebound and put back to go up 17-4 with his first basket.

Edey lost the ball in the post on a spin move, but Mason Gillis was there to scoop it up and take it to the hoop where he finished with a lefty lay up.

Connor McCaffery would hit Iowa's first three after an offensive rebound extended the Hawkeyes possession.

Then Patrick McCaffery would get in on the scoring, finishing a lob in transition with a lay up to pull Iowa within 19-9.

The last time Mason Gillis was in Mackey Arena, he set a new record for threes made by a Boilermaker with 9 on his way to 29 points. He kept his hot shooting going, knocking down his first three-pointer from the top of the arc.

Tony Perkins would respond for Iowa, hitting a tough contested floater in the lane.

Purdue would go into the 12 media timeout with a 22-11 lead.

With Ethan Morton and Zach Edey on the bench, Kris Murray was able to start and get clean looks inside. He had a mismatch with Loyer in the post and was able to get a lay up from the block halfway through the first half.

Trey Kaufman-Renn would get his first look of the game and hit a hook shot off the right block to go back up 11, 24-13.

Rebraca would then get an offensive rebound for Iowa and a clean put back to go back down 9.

David Jenkins Jr. found Mason Gillis trailing behind the play and Gillis knocked down his second three of the game, catching and shooting on the move to give Purdue a 27-15 lead.

Murray would get free inside again and a dunk would get Iowa down 27-17.

For the two top offenses in the country, baskets were hard to come by late in the first half. For Purdue, good looks inside didn't convert, and the whistle seemed to be swallowed on both sides. With both teams going to the under 4 minute timeout in a ten point game, Iowa had been called for just 3 fouls and Purdue had yet to commit a foul.

Edey was still able to get one hook shot to go through traffic to give Purdue a 29-17 lead, but an Edey double on McCaffery led to an open lay up for rarely used big man, Josh Ogundele.

The high powered offenses were in a dog fight, 29-19, with 3:50 left in the game after Purdue's first foul led to the media timeout. Zach Edey was called for a foul fighting for a rebound.

Braden Smith hit Iowa with a nice hesitation move on a drive to get all the way into the paint and draw a foul. They were just the second and third free throws of the game for Purdue and the freshman guard would make both.

Caleb Furst would then add a lay up for Purdue after a succession of passes followed an Iowa double on Edey in the post where Loyer ended up finding Furst in the post to give Purde the 33-19 lead.

Rebraca would make a driving floater on the next possession to move the game to 33-21.

Caleb Furst would knock down an open corner three to give Purdue a 36-21 lead.

Then a Furst offensive rebound would give Purdue a second shot of ending the first half and Braden Smith was able to get a hanging floater to go off the back board and in on a drive to give Purdue a 38-21 lead at halftime.

Iowa came into Mackey the #2 offense in the country. They didn't look like it in the first half. They came out swinging in the second, pushing the pace, and trying to get Purdue into their game.

Ahron Ulis drew a foul and hit two free throws on Iowa's first possession.

Ethan Morton raised them a corner 3 to push Purdue's lead to 41-23.

Then Kris Murray got going, hitting his first field goal while being defended by Ethan Morton.

Braden Smith would hit his fourth three of the game to go up 44-25.

He'd then add two more free throws on a tough drive and knock down both.

Murray would drive and get a lay up to go to get back to down 19 points.

Then Braden Smith would break a press, a trap, and get past the Iowa defense for a lay up.

Murray would then hit a mid-range jumper after Morton fell on contact between the two.

Tony Perks would then hit back to back lay ups in quick succession to cut the lead to 48-33.

Braden Smith responded with another lay up to get to 19 points in the game.

Rebraca would hit a mid range to get the game to 50-35.

Braden Smith's fourth three of the game would give Purdue a 53-35 lead and the freshman would have a new career-high with 22 points and over 14 minutes left in the game.

An Iowa lay up would be matched when Smith grabbed an offensive rebound at the free throw line and found Furst baseline who threw down a two-handed dunk to give Purdue a 55-37 lead.

Perkins would get free for another Iowa lay up.

Then Fletcher Loyer would get to the hoop for a lay up.

The first half was all Purdue with points and pace. The second half quickly became a frenetic back and forth affair..

Murray would hit another lay up and Loyer would respond with a step back. to push the game back to 18 for Purdue.

A Rebraca lay up would make it 59-43. Iowa would outscore their first half total in the first eight minutes of the second half.

Loyer would get another bucket to go, driving right, stopping, and then finishing a floater off glass while absorbing contact from Rebraca.

Loyer's free throw would make it 62-43 Purdue.

Patrick McCaffery would knock down an open three off a Kris Murray drive and pass out.

Trey Kaufman-Renn would find Ethan Morton on a pretty cut for a lay up to give Purdue a 64-46 lead.

But the game was being played at Iowa's pace and it would start to show.

Murray would hit a hook shot and then Iowa would force Purdue into a 10 second violation.

Braden Smith would then sneak behind Murray and steal the ball with a full head of steam. He'd force a defender to him and dump off a pass for a David Jenkins Jr. lay up.

Then Iowa would get hot from three. Kris Murray would hit a three in the corner as a pump fake sent Morton flying by him.

Jenkins Jr. would respond with a pull up jumper with the shot clock expiring for Purdue.

Payton Sandfort would knock down a three, coming off the bench, and cut Purdue's lead to 68-54.

Rebraca would then draw a foul and make a shot in the post to cut Purdue's lead to just 11.

Edey would get two free throws to fall to push Purdue up 70-57.

Then Sandfort would knock down his second three of the game to cut it to ten.

Patrick McCaffery would then draw a blocking foul in transition on Ethan Morton to get the game to single digits. He'd make the field goal but miss the free throw.

Iowa was only trailing 70-62 at the seven minute mark.

Both teams traded turnovers as Iowa's press bothered Purdue and Purdue forced a travel inside.

Rebraca hit another mid range jumper to cut Purdue's lead to 70-64.

Edey would hit a hook shot in the paint, just his 8th point of the game to give Purdue the 8 point lead.

Purdue forced a stop and got it back to their big man inside. Edey got positioning on the right block, drop stepped, and dunked the ball with one hand, giving Purdue a 74-64 lead and getting Mackey Arena back into the game with a roar as he ran back up the court with just over 4 minutes remaining in the game.

Iowa went back to doubling Edey and Purdue went back to Braden Smith.

Smith pump faked and drove left, pausing at the rim, and then stepping through for a reverse lay up to give Purdue a 76-64 lead with just over 3 minutes remaining.

Edey with four assists already, tried to find Morton on a cut but the lay up went just long, but Caleb Furst was there for another offensive rebound and put back to extend Purdue's lead to 78-64 out of the under 4-minute timeout.

Kris Murray drove around Edey and draw an And-1 on a lay up and hit the free throw to cut the lead to 78-67 with 2:17 left.

It took until the 1:54 mark in the game for either team to get in the bonus with Iowa fouling Edey in the post. He'd go to the line for a 1 and 1.

He'd make both to give Purdue the 80-67 lead.

Mason Gillis appeared to have the rebound on Iowa's next possession after a miss but it was ripped from his hands and Patrick McCaferry got a lay up out of it.

But Fletcher Loyer hit his second three of the game to likely seal it for Purdue, giving Purdue the 83-69 lead with just over a minute remaining.

Gillis would then get free from the press to ice the game with a lay-up to give Purdue an 85-69 lead with less than a minute left.