Purdue Falls to Indiana 72-67 in Rivalry Matchup

No. 12 Boilermakers drop third straight game despite strong efforts

Jan. 27, 2026 at 11:31pm

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No. 12 Purdue lost its third consecutive game, falling 72-67 to in-state rival Indiana on Tuesday night. The Boilermakers struggled to sustain momentum throughout the game, allowing the Hoosiers to go on several key runs. Purdue also struggled from the free-throw line, shooting just 53%, and was unable to capitalize on rebounding advantages. Indiana's strong 3-point shooting and ability to close out the first half strongly proved to be the difference in the close contest.

Why it matters

This loss is a tough blow for Purdue, which has now dropped three straight games and is sliding in the Big Ten standings. The Boilermakers had chances to seize control but couldn't capitalize, raising concerns about their ability to maintain momentum and close out close games against quality opponents.

The details

Purdue played in spurts, taking an early 10-8 lead but then trailing 14-11 just minutes later. The Boilermakers made a 10-2 run in the second half to cut Indiana's lead to 6, but the Hoosiers responded with a 12-4 run to push the advantage back to 14. Purdue struggled at the free-throw line, going just 8-of-15, including a missed front end of a one-and-one. Indiana closed the first half on a 21-6 run to take a 40-29 lead into the break. While Purdue won the rebounding battle 33-28, it only outscored Indiana 11-10 on second-chance points. Indiana also shot well from 3-point range, making 12-of-33 attempts.

  • Purdue led 10-8 at the first media timeout, but trailed 14-11 by the second media break.
  • Purdue cut Indiana's lead to 45-39 with 15:02 remaining, but the Hoosiers responded with a 12-4 run to push the advantage back to 14 points.

The players

Braden Smith

Purdue's senior guard.

Fletcher Loyer

Purdue's senior guard.

Trey Kaufman-Renn

Purdue's senior forward who scored a team-high 23 points.

Lamar Wilkerson

Indiana's sophomore guard who helped lead the Hoosiers' first-half run.

Nick Dorn

Indiana's junior guard who made 4 3-pointers.

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What they’re saying

“We must do a better job of sustaining our effort and intensity for the full 40 minutes. Letting Indiana go on those runs really hurt us.”

— Matt Painter, Purdue Head Coach

“Our 3-point shooting was a big factor tonight. We were able to get some open looks and knock them down when it mattered most.”

— Mike Woodson, Indiana Head Coach

What’s next

Purdue will look to bounce back on Saturday when they host Michigan State, while Indiana will try to build on this rivalry win when they travel to take on Iowa next week.

The takeaway

This loss highlights Purdue's struggles to maintain momentum and close out close games against quality opponents. The Boilermakers will need to shore up their free-throw shooting and defensive rotations if they hope to turn things around and climb back up the Big Ten standings.