IU basketball can’t handle Purdue again as series skid reaches 8 games

BLOOMINGTON – IU’s losing streak in its rivalry with Purdue reached eight games Thursday, after an 81-69 loss at Assembly Hall. Here are three reasons why:

© Darron Cummings, AP Purdue’s Brandon Newman (5) is fouled by Indiana’s Al Durham (1) during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game, Thursday, Jan. 14, 2021, in Bloomington Ind. First half of runs

Indiana (8-6, 3-4 Big Ten) looked to be in serious trouble midway through the opening 20 minutes,  down 31-19 with Trayce Jackson-Davis shouldering foul trouble and Purdue on fire from deep.

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The Hoosiers’ defense had, to that point, been woeful. They let Purdue get comfortable far too easily from behind the 3-point line and struggled to defend even some of the Boilermakers’ most basic screens. Purdue hit 7-of-9 3s in the first half, and for a moment looked ready to bury Indiana with time to spare.

Then IU locked in and locked up. The Hoosiers shut Purdue down behind the arc, wiped the glass clean and rode a 12-2 run back into the game. The Boilermakers threw seven quick points at Indiana before the break, and IU responded with five, to trail 40-36 into the intermission. Despite just 9 minutes from Jackson-Davis, the Hoosiers held their ground.

Jackson-Davis comes alive after the break

Unusually rested, Jackson-Davis went to work after the break.

He scored seven quick points, simply too aggressive and too precise for Purdue’s double teams to stop him. He started drawing fouls at the rate to which IU has become accustomed. The Boilermakers couldn’t manage him at either end of the floor.

He kept the Hoosiers afloat in the second half — 12 ½ minutes into the second half, all his teammates had scored just nine second-half points.

Jackson-Davis finished with a game-high 25 points, Indiana’s offensive anchor once again.

Offense dries up

Problem was, no one else went with him. The Hoosiers started to rush around the rim. They stopped shooting 3s, attempting just six in the second half, most of those chasing points in the last minute. Purdue got players like Eric Hunter and Jaden Ivey warm from the field, and Trevion Williams punished the Hoosiers down low. Beyond Jackson-Davis, Indiana had no answer. 

It’s been five years since IU won a game in this series. The Hoosiers are 0-6 against Purdue under Archie Miller and have lost eight-straight in the series overall. 

The gap between the two hasn’t been this wide in a decade, that gap laid bare Thursday night.

Follow IndyStar reporter Zach Osterman on Twitter: @ZachOsterman. 

Purdue 81, Indiana 69 

PURDUE (8-5): Gillis 2-3 3-4 7, Williams 9-15 4-9 22, E.Hunter 3-5 2-2 11, Newman 2-6 6-6 12, Stefanovic 3-6 0-0 8, Ivey 3-4 5-7 13, Wheeler 2-3 0-0 5, Edey 0-4 0-1 0, I.Thompson 0-0 0-2 0, Morton 1-1 0-0 3. Totals 25-47 20-31 81.

INDIANA (8-6): Jackson-Davis 9-16 7-14 25, R.Thompson 4-7 5-9 13, Durham 1-5 1-2 4, Galloway 1-3 1-1 3, Phinisee 2-5 0-0 4, Franklin 6-15 2-3 14, J.Hunter 2-5 0-0 6, Leal 0-0 0-0 0, Lander 0-1 0-0 0. Totals 25-57 16-29 69.

Halftime—Purdue 40-36. 3-Point Goals_Purdue 11-17 (E.Hunter 3-4, Ivey 2-2, Newman 2-3, Stefanovic 2-4, Morton 1-1, Wheeler 1-2, Gillis 0-1), Indiana 3-18 (J.Hunter 2-5, Durham 1-3, Galloway 0-1, Lander 0-1, R.Thompson 0-1, Phinisee 0-2, Franklin 0-5). Fouled Out_Stefanovic, Phinisee, Franklin. Rebounds_Purdue 36 (Williams 10), Indiana 30 (R.Thompson 10). Assists_Purdue 15 (E.Hunter 4), Indiana 14 (R.Thompson, Galloway 4). Total Fouls_Purdue 24, Indiana 27.

This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: IU basketball can’t handle Purdue again as series skid reaches 8 games